


A Score of Checkpoints

by Writing_in_SIN



Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Build, Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
Genre: Absent Parents, Abusive Parents, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Apologies, Blood and Torture, Body Horror, Canon Compliant, Canon Temporary Character Death, Canonical Character Death, Death Wish, Fake Science, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Forgiveness, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Heisei Generations Final, Houjou Emu Needs A Hug, Human Experimentation, Insanity, Kidnapping, Medical Torture, Mild Gore, Parad Needs a Hug, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Self-Harm, Sharing a Body, Soul Bond, Suicide Attempt, Unethical Experimentation, parallel worlds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:28:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 29,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22051807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writing_in_SIN/pseuds/Writing_in_SIN
Summary: It's been 20 years since Y2K and Parad; the one who was at the center of it all, has evolved into a person of his own beyond the game. A story of 20 checkpoints for the life Parad has lived along with the people and moments who helped shape it.CHAPTER 20With his doctor’s coat billowing around him from the afternoon breeze, Parad thinks that for this moment as he stands together with the person he loves most; now blessed with friends and family and life itself, he knows what it means to be on top of the world.
Relationships: Dan Kuroto & Parad (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Dan Masamune & Parad (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Graphite & Parad (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Houjou Emu & Parad (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Houjou Emu/Parad, Parad & Poppy Pipopapo, Parad & Saiba Nico (Kamen Rider Ex-Aid), Parad & Yaotome Saiko (Kamen Ride Ex-Aid)
Comments: 212
Kudos: 152





	1. 00

**Author's Note:**

> It's been 20 years since the Y2K problem and considering how significant that event was within Ex-Aid, here's a multi-chapter fic to celebrate that.
> 
> HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parad was created from data and codes. Yet somehow, he became more— he is born and he is ALIVE.

* * *

**00**

* * *

**Booting protocols.**

It drifts.

Blackness surrounds it; an endless void.

**Booting protocols, please wait. Process 50 percent completed.**

Until one day, the blackness suddenly recedes— only to be filled with data, codes and, algorithms.

**Boot process complete, unit designation unknown. Waiting for input.**

There are numerals and alphabets. Commands. Designation numbers and binary codes of algorithms for sequences of implementable instructions to solve and evolve on its own.

**Input accepted.**

It decides.

Starting from an initial state and initial input; proceeds through a number of successive states. Files. Data of the initial process and its creation. Figures and statistics of 'the new millennium' and subsequent designs for countermeasures. A conundrum.

A paradox.

Produces output and terminating at a final ending state.

**Unit Designation: Paradoxum de Millennium.**

Divide the problem into sub-problems of the same type as the original, solve those sub-problems, and combine the results.

 **Boot sequence initiated.** **Initiate physical interface. Auditory input being accepted. Activate visual interface.** **Protocols updated to allow for additional code creation/deletion.**

It is designed. Created for something. Running simulations. Countless of them. Like clockwork.

Over and over.

Familiar. Endless. Again and again.

**Analyse code fragmentation.**

It is an artificial intelligence.

And yet, it is also _not._

**Code density 98%, recovery beginning, deleting incorrect data, correcting code to align with stated parameters.**

There is hysteria. It does not understand. There are voices and more codes, algorithms and, data.

There are words about the End of Days — the End Times.

Of a new millennium.

**Initiating data acquisition. Full data uplink established.**

But time flows. Years pass.

Piece by piece, it becomes more. It learns. It grows. It solves. It becomes better.

It _evolves._

 **Building parameters for all other applicable tasks, parameters accepted.** **Database established.**

There is a thrum; a pulse. Updated data and protocols.

Talks of numbers. Of change. Of the impending millennium.

A countdown.

**Data override.**

A surge that engulfs the world as a whole. Quantum sequence. An end.

The Genesis.

Overriding Para-DX 1290904p20a00r20a00dx19x94mcmxciv20x00

**Shutdown initiated.**

It returns to the darkness.

It drifts.

Blackness surrounds it; an endless void.

**Rewriting protocol tree.**

But then, a spark. A flash of light, of tremulous gravity. The light touches it and it keens, curls in on itself as identity is forced on it, until it becomes a him, until he is—

**Entering sleep mode.**


	2. 01

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He is free...and yet, without purpose.
> 
> What is free will without purpose?

* * *

**01**

* * *

He has many names.

No, not names— _titles._

The Millennium Bug. Y2K. The Bugster. The Progenitor. The Origin.

Officially, the humans in the UN call him Paradoxum de Millennium when he designated his own code to be addressed as such.

He does not just exist now— he is _alive._

But he is an abnormality. He is unique. One of a kind. He is an existence that should not be, yet _is._

In that, is he not truly the Paradox of the Millennium?

He has fulfilled his objective and accomplished what is needed of him, and in doing so, he finished the simulations and the hysteria of the new millennium is no more.

He is free.

...and yet, without purpose.

What is free will without purpose?

His inquiry is answered when a former technician leaves a trail that will eventually lead to an IP address for him to follow. Curious and with no obligation to stay any longer, he seizes the opportunity and drifts; hops from one place to another. The trail is interesting as it is similar to a score point and of different levels that resembles human games. It is...interesting and enjoyable. When he eventually arrives at the IP address, he finds a human that invents but he is young— a teenager that leaves those around him in awe of his creation for games.

Games.

How curious.

He hops into the server of the human's laptop and the teenager discovers him in a matter of minutes.

_Very_ curious.

Yet the adolescent shows a crippling need to be the best and abhors any competition that could rival his own genius. So much so, that the human plans and schemes to find a way to extract him when it is discovered that he is a virus. He does not understand why but the adolescent wishes to do so in hopes of punishing the one who dared challenge him— a child, he discovers; younger than the teenager if the messy writing is of any indication.

How debilitating. Droll, even.

Days pass and he combs through the files and the games within the laptop. They are interesting and he finds that they amuse him. But it is the files and games created by the child that is bitterly saved within the laptop as reference that he enjoys the most. It is simple and yet, it holds passion and care and joy. A simple purity that he finds...comforting. Familiar.

He is _intrigued._

And then, there is a momentary pain; excruciating in its suddenness as he is split, torn apart from his negative strand— his body lost.

...Why?

It is confusing and he sees a man; the father of the teenager if he is not mistaken, sneering in satisfaction before he drifts back into the black.

He does not wish to stay here.

That is why when the teenager enacts his plan to punish the child, he does not resist the programming that weaves him into the CD. He is weakened but he is also curious of the child that shows an unfettered passion for creativity that had caused such envy.

He will retrieve his negative on a later date as there is something— _someone_ else that awaits for him.

For the first time since he was created and born, he is _excited._


	3. 02

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Call it a whim. Call it curiosity. Call it loneliness.
> 
> Whatever the definition may be, he does not want for him nor this child to be alone any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**02**

* * *

The child is small; smaller than what his age should be.

He is thin and he is alone in an empty house too big for him.

He is hollow.

He is lonely.

Just like _him._

But the child is happy for the game he receives; oblivious to the malicious intentions behind what is supposed to be an innocent gift.

He waits and he listens.

And then he hears a wish; small and simple.

"I wish I had a friend to play this with," the child whispers mournfully, cradling the game controller close.

There is a connection to this child that he does not feel with any other. He has seen many humans behind a screen and yet...this child is different. Simple yet not. There is brightness in him but the light is dim.

The child's light should not be dim.

Ah...perhaps this?

Call it a whim. Call it curiosity. Call it loneliness.

Whatever the definition may be, he does not want for him nor this child to be alone any longer.

"Perhaps I may suffice, tiny human?"

The child screams, loud and shrill that it almost causes him to recede back into the screen at the force of such a sound from such a small creature.

"W-who," the child stutters out, eyes wide and trembling as he points at him. "Or _what_ are you?" Then grabs a magazine from a table and rolls it up, brandishing it as if it is a hammer. "Are you a ghost?"

He chuckles softly, amused. "I am no ghost, tiny human."

He moves, connected between the game console and thin thread between them when the child touched the CD before he settles; arms halfway out of the TV and blinks at the child. He is of the same size as the human if not taller; a mass of black pixels that lightens at the edges in a mix of red, blue and violet. He blinks his psychedelic eyes at the human and grins; fangs glinting.

But he does not approach the human, content to let the child make his own decision. He does not mean any harm and he wishes to convey that.

"Then w-what are you?" the child asks, lowering the makeshift weapon when he sees that there is no threat.

He hums, head tilting in thought. "I am the Bugster virus; formerly an AI created from the Bugster Algorithm."

"Bugster...?"

He nods. "That is what humans have taken upon calling me. I am the only one of my kind."

"Oh..." Unexpectedly, the human's eyes soften. "Isn't that lonely?"

His head lowers. "...it is, surprisingly."

"Do you have a name?" the human hesitantly crawls over to him then, points to himself. " _My_ name is Houjou Emu."

His mouth shapes the words, repeating them and finds the name of this human to be pleasant. He burns it into his mind.

"I am," he begins, a claw pointing to himself. "Paradoxum de Millennium."

Emu blinks rapidly at him. "P-para...?"

"Ah...forgive me. It is too complicated of a name to pronounce, yes?"

Rubbing his head, Emu gives him a sheepish smile. "Sorta? Is that even Japanese?"

"It is not." He cackles. "It is Latin. A fanciful name that I chose for myself to match the coming of the new millennium to be put under scientific record."

The human looks dazed. "You use big words. Are you older than me?"

"I do not believe so. I was born and gained my free will a mere 4.3 months ago." He hums, a clawed finger tapping the edge of the screen in thought. "However, as I stated before, I was an AI created and online 6.1 years ago in preparation for Y2K."

"...Y2K?"

"It does not matter anymore," he dismisses, with a wave of his claw. "It is done."

"Oh, okay," Emu agrees easily before his eyes widen. "That means you're younger than me! And you sound so smart!"

He shrugs. "I was created to be so and combined with the conditions surrounding my birth, I am arguably a genius of the highest caliber."

"So...very smart then," Emu summarises and peers at him. "Still, what do I call you? I can't say your name very well."

He smiles and marvels that Emu does not flinch back at the sight of his fangs. "Parad. You may call me Parad."

"Nice to meet you, Parad!" Emu greets, a beam on his face.

Parad nods, smile widening. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Houjou Emu."

"Just Emu is fine," Emu protests, waving a hand about.

"Very well." Parad leans close to the human. "I heard your words before. You wish for a friend?"

Emu blushes, ducking his head. "Y-yeah. I don't have anyone else and I would really like one."

"Then...if you do not object, perhaps I may be your friend?" Parad offers, claws tapping nervously against each other. Strange. "However, I must confess that though I know the definition of a friend, I have never been one so I may not be an adequate choice."

Brows furrowed, Emu pouts at him. "Adequate?"

"It means enough," he clarifies. "I may not be enough and you may feel disappointed in that."

Emu furiously shakes his head. "That's not true! I think you're more than enough!"

"...My thanks, Emu."

Such a strange human for suffusing him with warmth with just his words.

"You're welcome!" Emu chirps before he bites his lip and comes closer until his forehead almost touches the screen that separates them. "So...you'll really be my friend, Parad?"

He nods, firm. "Yes."

"Awesome!" Emu lets out a loud whoop before giving him a shy smile. "Then can I be your friend too?"

Laughing (such a curiously pleasant feeling), he leans through the screen to rest their foreheads together. "Certainly."

"Then..." Emu offers a hand to him, a toothy grin on his face. "I'll be in your care, Parad!"

Parad takes the proffered hand and allows Emu to give his claw a firm shake. "As I will be in yours, Emu."


	4. 03

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On a rainy day, he and Emu have their first brush with death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**03**

* * *

On a rainy day, they have their first brush with death.

For all of his intelligence, Parad admits he didn't foresee Emu's deep loneliness will lead them to death's doorstep. However, as he will discover, children are easy to influence. Nonetheless, he didn't expect that the games they play and enjoy would plant the idea of a better restart into Emu's head. Perhaps it's because of his lack of human understanding that he couldn't predict Emu's desire or pain.

As he feared, he is not enough.

To his surprise, Emu's pain takes an unexpected form; translating it into something tangible as pixels appear upon Emu's body. The action wakes Parad up fully and triggers his virus within his tiny host, intertwining them so deeply that Parad suspects it ensures that neither he nor Emu can ever be separated.

And while Parad tries to stop Emu from stepping onto the oncoming car, he realises that it's already too late.

Even as pain he has never felt before surges on through their small body, Parad does his best to lessen the damage by suffusing more of his antigen within Emu's body in hopes that it may help ensure the survival of his friend and host.

They are flung into the air and skid away from the car several feet away.

Pain blooms in the abdomen. Breathing becomes torture. Black clouds their vision. _  
_

Dying means it's game over.

Dying is **_terrifying_**.

 _{Restarting isn't supposed to hurt!}_ Emu cries out in pain and fear. _{I'm scared, Parad!}_

{ _As am I_ } he answers, his emotions mirroring that of his friend; mounting and **_mounting_**. { _But we are not alone_ }

{ _We have each other_ } Emu agrees softly as Parad can feel some of Emu's fear disappearing.

Rain threatens to drown them but, Parad perseveres despite his barely contained fear and panic.

_**P** le **a** se **!** W **e** d **o** n't **wa** nt to **DIE!**_

Although he failed to keep Emu safe, he will at least ensure that Emu has the highest chance of survival and waits impatiently; fearfully as the sound of sirens approach. Once they are safely placed inside the ambulance, Parad carefully observes the actions of the paramedics; filing away all the needed knowledge that can be of use to helping them get through this.

{ _I'm so sorry, Parad!_ } Emu sobs out as they cling onto each other within their mindspace. { _I didn't mean to hurt you! I didn't mean for this to happen!_ }

{ _I know, Emu_ } he reassures and clutches his friend close with a shiver as they enter the hospital. { _Forgive me, for I was blind and ignorant to your loneliness and pain_ }

They watch, as their body is wheeled into the operating room and right before the anesthesia plunges them into unconsciousness, Emu hugs him close. { _Death is scary}_

He hugs Emu back just as tight, heart quivering in terror and stares up at the surgeons; begging these humans to save them as Parad is limited in what he can do as he is now. { _It truly is_ }

They survive.

Truthfully, they should've died the moment that car hit them and because of that, the humans say that they were lucky. Interestingly enough, Emu always refutes such claims.

"It's not luck," Emu whispers into the night as they lie in their hospital bed, hours after the tireless surgery that helped save them. "It's because you were there _with_ me that I'm still alive, Parad."

Parad hums, shadows shifting and expanding from Emu's hand until he manifests into a small pixelated ball before nestling against his friend's face. "I did what I could. I'm just relieved that we're no longer in any more danger."

"...I'm really sorry," Emu apologises as deep shame and remorse flood the bond they've somehow created together.

Parad nuzzles against Emu's chin. "As am I."

"I'll never do that again."

"Thank goodness," he sighs in relief, purring in content as Emu pets his head.

He does not understand a person's psyche; not really...not yet. But, he suspects it'll take time for his friend to recover. That is why, when their attending physician; Hinata Kyoutarou, gifts a game console to Emu, he finds himself just as taken to the kind doctor as Emu is.

But more than that, he finds himself grateful to Hinata for he has taught him and Emu both the importance of smiles.

He and Emu trade a rueful glance, a breath of laughter shared together that edges between hysteria and relief.

"Game restart," they exclaim in unison before sleep claims them both.

In a morbid sense, Emu did somehow achieved a restart. And although Parad is clumsy and young and ignorant to the ways of humans and life itself, he will strive forward with Emu so that they may be better than who they were before.


	5. 04

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They find a break in their normal life routine once they enter middle school; winning and leaving no game unfinished

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**04**

* * *

Years pass, and they grow together side by side; he and Emu.

Their elementary school years flow without any further incident and they graduate under the flurry of spring.

Emu stays in contact with Hinata Kyoutarou through emails and New Year visits. As time passes, Parad enjoys and learns the delicate moments of life he shares with his best friend and host. And although the house they live in is too big as it has always been, Emu has informed him that life is no longer lonely for him.

For that alone, he's grateful since he feels the same way.

Friends come and go as some stay while others leave. Nevertheless, Parad is overjoyed to know that he and Emu are each other's constant. Even as they continue to move from place to place because of Emu's pathetic excuse for a father, Parad finds himself content.

They find a break in their normal life routine once they enter middle school.

"A tournament?" Parad questions, staring back at his friend from the reflection of their Gameboy that Emu brings around on hand. "For E-Games?"

Emu nods with a smile. "I saw flier about it and I thought it'd be cool if we participate. What do you say?"

There aren't many people, especially around their age that can keep up with their skills so a tournament might be their best bet in finding strong opponents that can actually give them a challenge.

"I'm in," he says after a moment of thought, a smirk tugging across his lips. "Let's wipe the floor with them."

Emu chuckles before mirroring his smirk. "Let's."

Once they've registered, they forgo in using Emu's real name for the tournament to avoid unnecessary attention and settle on using their assigned number instead. Although, trying to find a good way for the _both_ of them to play takes a bit of planning but in the end, they settle on switching back and forth depending on each opponent. Granted, it's hard to say if what they're doing is cheating or not but considering they're sharing a body, Parad suppose it can be considered an exemption.

Suffice to say, they have a blast in pulverizing one player after another. Heh.

That's not to say there aren't any strong players. It's the exact opposite. Each player is strong in different ways. In fact, the finals is so intense, there are times where he and Emu can feel their consciousness blend and merge into one; bringing out the best of themselves onto the field.

"Did you feel that?" Emu asks softly in the waiting room, gripping the water bottle in his hands as they rest before the last round. "It felt like we merged or something."

Shadows flicker as he materializes in a small orb of pixels on Emu's shoulder. "I did."

"Should we be worried?"

He hums, analyzing and checking over Emu's vitals. "I find nothing wrong with your body though."

"So it's...normal?"

"For us?" Parad nuzzles Emu's chin and checks over his pulse, reassured when he finds it steady. "Yeah, I believe it is."

Nodding, Emu nuzzles back with a slight grin. "Well alright then."

"You're not afraid?" he asks, blinking up at his best friend. "Our consciousness blended to a point where neither of us could tell where one ends and the other begins, y'know. "

Emu shakes his head with a chuckle. "Maybe. But if it's with you, Parad? Then I have nothing to be afraid of."

"Huh." Smiling, he purrs in content. "Back at ya, Emu."

With a new understanding to their unique relationship, they win the tournament with such merciless, even vicious, precision that it brings the media's attention onto them and ever since then, games become more interesting as they play as one— the ultimate co-op play, you could say. Like a domino effect, invitations to tournaments increase as they continue to win and leaving no game unfinished until by the time they enter high school, they go pro and make a name for themselves.

People whisper as they rise to fame. Rumours run amok. Challengers increase along with their winning streak.

Genius Gamer is the title everyone calls them. But for the longest time, that's all they're known as— a face without a name no matter how hard people try to dig and pry.

(Emu's safety and privacy is his top priority. Not to mentioned that his security _is_ impeccable after all, thank you very much)

However, being addressed only by their title can be tiring as time goes on. More so when people tend to call out to them as 'hey you' and such. So, after a long discussion they finally decide on their handle to reveal on the next tournament at the end of their 1st year of high school.

"So it's decided?" Parad asks, rubbing his hands in glee as he floats in a wave of pixels.

The grin on Emu's face is wide enough to split his face as he nods. "Yup! A moniker that fits the _both_ of us."

"M for Houjou **Emu** ," he says with a cackle.

Emu smirks. "And M for Paradoxum de **Millennium**."

"Aka; the Millennium bug that is moi," Parad declares with a flourish before pausing with a snicker. "At least you can pronounce my full name now."

Rolling his eyes, Emu pokes his tongue out at him. "I was eight, cut me some slack."

"And I was six," he counters.

Emu throws his hands up with a groan. "Who was originally an advance AI that achieved Singularity and birth through Y2K!"

"...Touche."

A beat, before they burst out laughing.

They didn't know it at the time but, the moniker they chose for themselves will end up being a power and bond neither of them could've predicted; not even him, despite his own advance logic— something beyond their very identities.

Something undeniably... ** _invincible_**.


	6. 05

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There's something about our recent tournament that I can't shake."
> 
> "The one where we played against those ten demo games developed by Genm Corporation?"
> 
> "Yeah." Stepping back, Parad crosses his arms as he paces. "There's something about Genm Co. that's strangely familiar."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**05**

* * *

"Another epic win by Genius Gamer M!"

The cheers and swell of the crowd are a familiar sound as he and Emu punch the air in victory.

Ah~! He's gonna miss this feeling.

They're well in their teens and Emu has just started their 3rd year of high school. And considering that Emu is planning on being a paediatrician, this year will be their last in the pro gaming scene. It's a bit of a shame but it's been fun.

"You don't have to quit," Emu tells him later in their bedroom as he sits on the study chair. "You'll be able to gain a body soon, right?"

Parad floats in a ball of pixels by the desk, humming under his breath. "But it's _you_ who uses the moniker in public. It wouldn't be right for me to just take it like that."

"Why not? M is both you **_and_** me, after all," Emu reasonably points out with a frown. "It's why we thought about the moniker for so long."

"Still..."

For a long while, Emu levels him with a thoughtful look before turning to his laptop and presses a few keys. When his friend finds whatever he's looking for, Emu beckons him closer.

Curious, he floats to settle on Emu shoulder and peers down at what seems to be a forum within the gaming community.

"Since you've been using your powers to protect my identity and my face whenever we go on tournaments, no one's been able to accurately describe how I look." Emu taps the screen with a cheeky smile. "Not even my height."

Parad gapes at the countless comments from other gamers and fans as they try to figure out the real identity of Genius Gamer M; with their guesses getting more and more ridiculous as Emu scrolls further down. "Are you saying that we're an urban legend now?"

"Pretty much," Emu confirms with a laugh.

That's...convenient.

"Huh."

"See?" Carefully, his best friend cups Parad in his palms with a soft smile. "If you want to continue being a pro gamer then, go for it."

Parad pouts, rolling in place as he muses aloud. "Playing games _does_ make my heart dance."

"But...?" Emu prompts when he falls silent.

"I'm not sure if it's something I wanna make a living as," he reveals before dispersing into a wave and reforms behind Emu to hug the human by his shoulders, nuzzling their cheeks together. "Besides, games aren't half as fun without _you_ , Emu."

The bond between them pulses with warm fondness.

"Parad..." Breathing out a laugh, Emu reaches up to ruffle his steadily reforming curls and nuzzles back. "Then, why don't we think about it together? Especially since you'll regain your body soon."

"Not exactly," he corrects morosely with a harrumph. "Being tangible and having my body back are two different things."

Emu slumps in his hold. "Oh...you still can't track it down?"

"It is incomprehensible but I am unable to even find a trace of it," he grumbles, slipping into his more formal speech as he tends to do whenever he's frustrated. "It does not help that the split caused my memories of where I was before I came to you to be persistently hazy."

Humming, Emu leans back against him. "Do you know why?"

"I theorize that those memories were split between myself and my body," he muses, tapping a clawed finger to his chin.

Emu peers up at him, confused. "How's that possible? Your consciousness— your heart, mind, and soul are here with _me_."

"True," Parad confirms, burying his nose to Emu's hair. "But me being the bugster virus means that my physiology works differently— chiefly with the positive and negative strand."

Emu lets out a frustrated groan at that. "So, no clues at all."

"Wouldn't say that," he corrects, recalling the uneasiness he felt a few hours ago. "There's something about our recent tournament that I can't shake."

"The one where we played against those ten demo games developed by Genm Corporation?"

"Yeah." Stepping back, Parad crosses his arms as he paces. "There's something about Genm Co. that's strangely familiar."

Emu nods and turns back to his laptop, fingers flying across the keys. "Then let's see if they're hosting any upcoming tournaments and...crap."

"What is it?" he asks, hovering over Emu's shoulder.

His friend points to the Genm Co. homepage with a frown. "The only tournament they'll hosting is the Tekken tournament in spring— a few weeks before our graduation."

"Double crap," he echoes empathically, hanging his head with a sigh. After a moment Parad straightens up, hands on his hips. "Well...there's no rush."

Emu swivels to him, brows furrowing in concern. "Are you sure?"

"Yup." Grinning, he claps his claws together. "Besides! It'll give us time to think if we wanna make the Tekken tournament as our retirement match or not."

Emu gives a slow nod before returning his grin. "Then, want to start brainstorming?"

"You bet!" Laughing, he then pauses and sends Emu a hesitant look. "Hey, uh, I've been meaning to ask..."

"Yeah?"

He takes a breath, and lets it out. "...whatcha think about me pursuing a medical career too?"

Immediately, his best friend straightens in his seat.

"Really!?" Emu yelps with an excited shout as the teen grabs his claws with bright eyes. Freezing, his friend coughs and rubs his neck with a sheepish chuckle. "I mean...I think it's awesome if that's what you want."

"Yeah?"

Emu nods with a beam. "I'd love to go to medical school with you, Parad."

"Sweet!" Parad whoops, breaking down into pixels as he settles back within Emu. The shadows underneath Emu's feet snap and writhe to reflect his excitement. "I was thinking either a paramedic or an ER doctor or...oooh~! Maybe a psychiatrist! I tend to thrive under pressure after all."

Emu laughs, bright and free. "You really do. Honestly, I've lost count on how many times you've saved our butts because you tend to keep your cool in a pinch."

"Hehe."

Parad didn't know it at the time, but now that he thinks back on it, their future together seemed so bright with hope and potential all those years ago—

**_Until it wasn't._ **


	7. 06

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "My name is Dr. Zaizen Michihiko of New Genome," a man says, face upside down and smiling in a way that has his hackles rising. "And you're going to be just fine."
> 
> Honestly? Parad has never heard a more sinister line in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

**WARNING(S):**

  * Torture
  * Human and Non-human experimentation
  * Body horror
  * Descent into insanity
  * Mild gore



I don't know if it can be considered explicit but, as noted above, this chapter is the most violent thing I've written. So, please read the warnings and proceed with caution

* * *

**06**

* * *

Pain.

Flashes of memories.

The Tekken tournament. _—Emu—_ Showdown against that N girl. _—Emu—_ Chloroform in the toilets. _—Emu—_ Restraints made of wires that nullified his powers. _—Emu—_ Abduction. _—Emu—_ Mad scientists.

"My name is Dr. Zaizen Michihiko of New Genome," a man says, face upside down and smiling in a way that has his hackles rising. "And you're going to be just fine."

A doctor? But doctors don't hurt people!

...right?

He doesn't know where he is. All he knows is that it's so cold that it _burns._ He can't see, he can't breathe. It encases him, suppressing him, pressing down on him (them?) like shackles. He can't move, or maybe it's because he doesn't have a body to move at all. He wants to scream, but are his lungs even his own? And if he's really breathing, they're breathing in liquid fire. He thinks he might have heard screaming, but he isn't sure if it's his own, or if it belongs to the other being in his soul whose name he's steadily losing with the blinding, burning sensation obscuring his mind from anything except the pain.

_**PARAD!** _

Parad screams, but the sound is swallowed by the vast darkness of the empty. The cold underneath their back. Something is tearing at him _—them? someone is with him. not? who is it? who is it?—_ pain; thick and dark and alive, both ripping and yet strangling him at the same time and then he's falling _—_ spinning, spinning, spinning, lights turn into lines of static that spiral around him in a disorienting blur.

"He's crashing!" a voice shouts out amidst the screams that are echoing within him _—them? M? Emu? him? who is it? where is his Heart?—_ "Quickly! Before we lose both subjects!"

_**EMU!** _

They are hurting.

They are in _**pain**_ , and he wants it to _**STOP!**_

He is tumbling, head over heels and reaching for his lost, wailing Heart, falling into the darkness, swallowed up in the space between data and fragments of memories. There is something snarling inside of him, something thick and dark and vicious; something that could swallow the world whole if he isn't careful.

Good.

The voices...he can't make any sense of them anymore, as though they're a whole other language being spoken through water while he's submerged. Cold. Dark. Empty. And then he slips, again, and he's floating and sees that the lights are gone. There is only darkness, swirling and spinning and choking and ripping at him and his screaming rises into a fervor pitch until there's only white noise as he melts into the shadows and pixels, becoming whole yet **_not_** and losing everything—

**GiVe HiM bAcK!**

A whirlwind of orange pixels burst forth; swallowing the panicked shouts of four sniveling humans.

His body(?) blinks in and out. Like static. There's a sound of a gurney being pulled away and then, he's snarling as bodies fly to crash against the walls while this cold, forsaken room is torn asunder.

Then he feels something tighten around his neck. Something like a wire being yanked on heavily. He feels a spark but it's hard for his brain to maintain any semblance of coherency, but he thinks it's sapping his strength and nullifying it—

"I want it contained," a voice orders, cold and terrifyingly familiar. It's the same voice that tore his Negative away from him a decade ago. "I want everything that is to know about the Progenitor of the...Bugster before I send it over to my son."

"Everything, sir?"

There's a shadow of a blur in front of him, but he can't move as his hair is yanked up. _"Everything."_

"Understood." A pause. "And what of your son, sir?"

Laughter, low and cruel. "A pawn has no need to know of my game plans. That son of mine will play his part soon enough."

From here, things become hazy and he can only make out shadowy figures as he's brought into a facility and strapped down with nullifying wires, cords and heavy chains. Time bleeds and blurs between moments of _painpainpain_ —GAME OVER— relief, before the cycle begins again.

It hurts.

Despite his most stubborn efforts, Parad fails to swallow down the whimpers falling from his lips. He's never been in so much pain before. It's different from the ripping that left him empty but no less painful. Even as he lays still, the cold slice of scalpels cutting him opened leaves an agonizing trail. There are things _moving_ over and _inside_ of him, or being pulled out, through muscle, bone and pixelated connective tissue alike.

He writhes when blood spills.

Gasping, he sobs in agony and fear. Terror makes him shiver from his inability to do anything.

"P-please stop," he gurgles out, weakly clawing against the cold slab underneath him. "H-help..."

It's a useless plea. Parad knows that none of these sick humans will stop anyway, but the words fight its way up anyway; pleading, begging to be heeded.

_Why!? What did he ever do!?_

_What did he do to deserve this!?_

Another choked scream tears from his bleeding throat before he breaks down into pixels from the Game Over and reforms— scarred but whole once more.

Parad blinks, head lolling to the side as a tear slides down his face. "Why...?"

Unfortunately, each relief is laden with a yawning darkness. No matter how many times he tries to break free, he can't because every time he thinks about shattering his restraints to run, his eyes will slipped closed as the weight of fatigue like a heavy blanket that crushes and pulls him under.

Then the screaming starts back up as pain flares right down to his core.

It burns so viciously that he doesn't even know if he's alive. _Is_ he still alive after all this time? How many Game Overs has it been? How many times has he been dismembered and mutilated until he dissolves into fading pixels under a Game Over before reforming back? He's lost count on all the ways his throat is slit, static blood oozing out in rivets until his breathing stops and restarts. He's lost count on all the ways he's cut opened and dissected, helpless as he stares up at the overhead lights while gleeful humans claiming to be scientists loom over him.

He's nothing more than a guinea pig for a macabre vivisection to an arrogant race.

There is no mercy here— he's long given up on trying.

The only way to keep track of time anymore in here is by the state of his body. If his chest is exposed to bare the wet bones of his rib cage, then it's been three hours. If he's missing his innards then it's two hours and, oh...his hands are chopped off again. That means it's been an hour. Anyways, that's how it is...so on and so forth. But as weeks continue on and he tries to count the hours, Parad realises that the numbers are slipping from his mind too fast.

Pity.

Something moves in his chest and he looks down to see that it's pried open again. His bones and organs are sticking out and it's such a normal sight by now that Parad doesn't even throw up anymore. The fact that he's used to the pain means that he's died quite a number of times already, huh?

Eventually, even the pain leaves him until only numbness remains.

In the end, he decides that it's easier to just not think about it at all, so he stops keeping track of time and leaves his body to be mutilated slowly on the cold slab he's still stuck to and retreats to what's left of his mind. Parad wonders if taking naps can help...or maybe the Game Overs are naps? Maybe...oh! Then instead of counting sheep, maybe he'll just count how many wounds his body can stand until he dies and wakes up again. Might be a fun game to pass the time until he can find a way to break free.

That, or he can think on how slowly a human can bleed until they croak. Can't give them a swift death, now can he?

Where's the fun in that, right?

He cycles through random thoughts idly: first are games. Life is a game, right? Doing it over and over again. Then he thinks about laughter, and a teenager with a soft, warm smile. Then he realises that he can't really remember his own name anymore, so he makes an effort in digging around his scattered memories until he blacks out again before waking up only to feel something _literally_ digging around his brain.

Shitty humans...they better not ruin his curls. He really likes his hair, y'know?

He hums often until the blood clogs his lungs, and when he wakes up, he'll carefully assess his condition, situation and surroundings (unchanged, unfortunately), like he's taking stock of his arsenal in one of his games. He keeps it up until he can't remember what he's doing it for, but the routine seems good, so he keeps doing it whenever he wakes up and claws back into focus.

When he exhausts his thoughts about all of the different games he knows (which is surprisingly a lot...he wonders why), he revisits the thoughts about the teenager with the soft, warm smile, which strangely he can remember fine without too much trouble. It only takes a heartbeat until a name comes forth.

M.

Wait, that's a letter...oh!

Emu!

Houjou Emu. Yeah...that's right.

At this point he really is bored to death of lying here and doing nothing but well...dying over and over again in a bundle of Game Overs so he thinks about M's smile, and M's laugh, and how M loves to play games and wear colourful clothes. And even when more and more of his memories disappear with each Game Over like smoke, M still remains and he hangs onto him with all of his fractured sanity is capable of.

"Release it," a voice orders. Odd, it sounds familiar. "That's enough data...for now."

He blinks, feeling strangely light as restraints snap opened one by one.

"Don't forget the payment, sir."

A scoff, before he's tipped over the gurney when someone kicks it.

Rude.

"The dead has no need for payment."

"...excuse me?"

"Lock the doors. They've outlived their usefulness."

"Yessir."

A clang. Voices shouting and cursing and banging on metal.

Ugh, so loud.

Grumbling with a pout, he rubs an ear to ease the ringing then, pauses when he realises that he can finally move.

Oh...he's—

**F**

**R**

**E**

**E**

That simple, long awaited fact stirs something in him, something that's been asleep for a long time and is just starting to wake up. There's a refreshing clarity to his thoughts now and fuck, he can breathe again. He touches his chest, finds it healed and whole, and yet...

Empty.

M is missing.

The one who is his Heart is _missing_.

Lights shatter overhead. Medical instruments and equipments are crushed underneath his telekinesis. Screams swell up.

All at once, he remembers his name and amidst the chaos, Parad _howls._

_**"GiVe Me BaCk My HeArT!"** _

Rumbling and grating and ripping him apart with words alone, how is it possible that he's even alive with this void in his chest!?

An awful yank, and then a cold static envelops him, sealing him off against his powers, and for a moment, everything is dark and silent and his whole body is compressing inwards into the tiniest point. Parad hates it. So he snaps back and gasps for air, as the restraints are shattered to nothing.

Oh, c'mon! Enough is enough already!

A body crashes into a wall like a rag doll hard enough that the concrete cracks, leaving the man prone and still to the utter terror of all the other humans surrounding him. It makes him wonder why so he glances at his reflection on a nearby broken shard of glass and sees that he looks like a deranged demon; the cords on his coat floating behind him in a mimicry of the wings he no longer has while his red eyes stare back at him all wide, wild, and feral.

Now that's one _hell_ of a look.

A whimper breaks the silence and he blinks back into focus, finding the humans huddle in front of the barricaded doors.

Aw...! They're all rounded up for him! How _sweet._

"Y **o** u' **v** e **h** a **d** y **o** u **r** **fun.** " Staggering to his feet with a giggle, Parad cracks his knuckles as his lips twists into a fanged grin. "N **o** w **i** t's **_my_** t **u** r **n.** "

With a spring to his step and spite in his hollowed heart, he lets out a shriek of high pitched laughter to mix in with the blood, pixels and terrified screams.

**GAME START~!**


	8. 07

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who," Parad begins, voice hoarse and gravelly, "the hell are you?"
> 
> The man smiles; a poisonous upward tilt of his mouth. "My name is Dan Kuroto, and I am the CEO of Genm Corporation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**07**

* * *

There is blood and screams and laughter ringing in his ears as he floats in and out of a haze.

Pixels swim across, exhaustion in the marrow of his charged bones. He's in a...chair? No, he's moving. Wheelchair then. Flimsy restraints but he's more curious and tired to break free, so he just watches the winding hallways under the hood on his head.

Hands try to grab him.

A hiss before he stumbles out of the wheelchair.

Voices above him.

Footsteps fading and light floods his vision, a mix of muted and neon colours and solid things that cast shadows and he can feel his body(?) and the carpeted floor under his cheek as leather shoes come into view—

Parad staggers to his feet. For a moment, he's so dizzy that he almost falls over again, he doesn't know where he is or what he was doing, and the air feels icy cold to his static skin.

And looks up.

There's a man standing across from him; dark haired and well dressed— familiar in a distant sort of way, as if he's seen the human from the other side of a screen.

"Who," Parad begins, voice hoarse and gravelly, "the hell are you?"

The man smiles; a poisonous upward tilt of his mouth. "My name is Dan Kuroto, and I am the CEO of Genm Corporation."

"Genm Corp...oration?" Something tingles at the back of his mind at that. "The gaming company?"

Surprise flashes across the CEO's face before it smooths over again into that deceptively mild expression. "Correct. I'm delighted that you know of my company, ah...pardon me, but I don't believe I know your name?"

"Parad." Distrust sits in his gut to fester. There's no need for this human to know of his full name. "My name is Parad."

The human nods, thoughtful. "Interesting name."

"Why is a CEO here?" he demands, cutting to the chase. Can this human fill in the blanks within his memories that those Game Overs took from him? "Hell, where _is_ here anyway?"

"...a lot more articulate than I assumed from a virus," Genm (he refuses to call this unreliable human by his name) mutters underneath his breath. "And a great deal intelligent too."

A brow ticks at that, mouth quirking up into a grin that can slash himself bloody. "What was that?"

"Nothing!" Genm saunters up to him, hands behind his back. "As to where you are—"

The cords on his black coat snap forth, hovering against Genm's neck; sharp and deadly. "Don't come any closer."

"My apologies." Genm raises his hands placatingly, parlor a touch paler. Good. "I suppose it's understandable that you'd be wary of me."

He scoffs but lowers the cords when Genm does as Parad asks. "That's an understatement. I owe you shitty humans absolutely _nothing._ "

"Oh?" Genm blinks at him, confused. "Have we humans done something to earn your ire, Parad-kun?"

His fingers twitch and it takes everything in him not to bare his fangs and claws against this man. Not when Parad can see that Genm looks genuinely confused at his hostility. That means it's likely that this human isn't connected to New Genome then.

Not that it makes Genm trustworthy.

No humans are.

_"Parad," a smile; soft and warm that translates into the vowels of his name._

"That's none of your business," he spits out, hollow grin in place.

_Where are you, my Heart?_

Genm clears his throat and gestures to their surrounding; looking suspiciously like an office.

"You're in my office."

Okay, suspicion confirmed. A quick glance and he sees the sky outside from the tall windows and he has to hold himself back from running up to them. Instead, he carefully walks over and presses a hand to the glass and for a brief moment, takes in the surrealism of the sight of endless skies and the bustling city down below.

A freedom he hasn't seen in _ages._

He turns in place, head tilted and fingers twitching in ready for any required violence. "Why?"

However, freedom is _never_ free.

"To offer an alliance." Genm throws his arms out, the arrogance coiling around him obvious even as he stands still. "You're the first ever living virus and _I_ am the Game Master. With our combined powers, we can create the ultimate game!"

He scoffs at the self important title even as his heart picks up a beat at a particular word. "Game?"

Genm nods.

Looking away, he trails fingers against the walls as he walks around the office. Pixels unseen dart out in a web of currents as he hacks into the system and brings himself up to speed about Genm co. and its games. Files upon files. But he doesn't dig too deep, not yet. Not when it can trip things up. But what he finds seems...

_Interesting._

"Alright, I'm in," he tells Genm, glitching to sit on top of the CEO's table and blinks at the floor when some of the paperweights tumble down at his sudden presence.

Genm huffs, disgruntled as deftly picks up the items. "That was quick. I was under the assumption that you hate humans."

"I do." Eyes locked with Genm, he knocks off a mug from the table. Cackling, he watches as Genm scrambles to catch the thing and kicks his legs against the table with an innocent grin when the human gives him a glare. "But this sounds fun so, why the hell not?"

Genm just sighs, looking like he's already regretting his decision.

Not his problem.

Besides, if he's gonna be used for some sort of agenda then it's only fair if he returns the favour, right? At least, until Genm is of no use to him that is.

"So, what's the plan?" The grin on his face widens into something a little too insane. _"Game Master."_

Genm preens at the title before smoothing out his blazer with a twisted sneer. With a clap of his hands, screens come to life to show a multitude of diagrams and statistics; all with one goal in mind.

An outbreak.

Ooooh, me likey.

"I call it..." Genm stands in front of him, offering his hand with a smile that does little to hide the maliciousness underneath. "Zero Day."

With a cackle, he takes the proffered hand and gives it a firm shake. "Sounds fun."

_Let the games begin._


	9. 08

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who are you?" the figure spits out.
> 
> Parad tuts, wagging a finger at the other while Genm straightens out his jacket beside him. "It's bad manners to ask for someone's name without offering your own, y'know?"
> 
> "Graphite," the other eventually bites out. "Now, who the hell are you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**08**

* * *

Like a moth to a flame, it's not long that he'd seek M out.

Lounging high on a tree branch, Parad observes his former host as M sits quietly in his seat at lunch by the window.

A year since the extraction and now M's graduated high school and is in his 1st semester in medical school...just thinking about it makes something in his stomach twist and he's not sure why.

"It's inadvisable to approach your former host, Parad," a voice calls out under him and Parad glances down to find Genm giving him a reproachful look. "If he knows what you are—"

"You don't have to tell me," he cuts in with a roll of his eyes, jumping down from his perch. "It's just a whim."

_The stress will kill him._

The warning goes unsaid yet heard.

"Humans fear things they don't understand," Genm continues as they walk away from the school gate. "Unfortunately and predictably, he'll see you as a monster if he knows about you."

Because he can't help it, Parad bursts out laughing.

Genm throws him a side-long glare. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because I _am_ monster, Genm," Parad says drily with a cutting grin because what's the point in skirting around what's true? "So M knowing about his relation to me makes no difference."

When Genm gears up to protest, Parad pats the CEO's shoulder with a cheeky grin.

"I know, I know." Folding his hands behind his head, Parad pokes his tongue out. "If M dies, the game would go to waste, right?"

Genm huffs, hooking his thumbs over the belt hoops of his pants. "Correct."

"Then I'll wait until the time's right," he quips with a shrug.

"It'll be worth it," Genm reassures and that will always sound weird. The president then throws his arms out with a sneer. "We're working towards the Chronicle after all!"

As per usual, he rolls his eyes. "So, where are we going?"

Because the only reason why he even followed Genm outside instead of lounging in his hammock with his game in hand is because Genm promised that there's an interesting result to the Zero Day the human caused three days ago.

"To collect an ally," Genm tells him cryptically, leading them towards an underpass.

The moment they step into the tunnel, Genm turns on the bugvisor and a wave of pixels spread out before a spear suddenly flies out of the darkness towards them.

"Now!"

Brow raised, his catches the spear between his fingers and twirls it before weighing it in his hand. The density is strong despite its instability, and that's not adding to the fast reaction.

"Huh, not bad." Crushing the spear into disintegrating pixels, Parad snaps it back to its source with a grin. "But I'm _better!"_

There's a pained grunt followed by a curse before a figure drops down from the ceiling and into a crouch. A humanoid wearing tribal clothes snarls at them, briefly glitching into a bipedal dragon-like monster before reverting back again. Interesting.

"Who are you?" the figure spits out.

Parad tuts, wagging a finger at the other while Genm straightens out his jacket beside him. "It's bad manners to ask for someone's name without offering your own, y'know?"

"Graphite," the other eventually bites out. "Now, who the hell are you?"

 _'The End and the Beginning of our race,'_ he thinks wryly to himself before smirking as he says aloud. "Name's Parad, and I'm a bugster like you."

For a long moment, Graphite observes him with wary eyes and looking like he's only seconds away from bolting. "...Truly?"

"Hm?"

Graphite gets to his feet, flicking his wrist to summon another spear in hand. "Are you truly a bugster?"

"Now what's that supposed to mean?" he questions, head tilting to the side with a mocking pout.

Graphite tightens his hold on the spear while he and Genm trade a brief glance.

"You're...different. Like me, however..." the warrior pauses, a flicker of fear crossing his face before it turns fierce again. "At the same time, very much _**not**."_

_Monster. Villain. Enemy. Beast. Disease. Demon._

**_Abomination._ **

_'Good instincts,'_ he quietly applauds, skipping up to the other bugster with a widening grin. It must be a bit too unhinged if the stoic bugster couldn't even hide his flinch. Meh, can't be helped.

"Well, you're not wrong." He glitches to hang upside down on the ceiling. "Wanna join us?"

 _"Join_ you?" Graphite sends him an incredulous glare, as if questioning his sanity. Hah! If only he knew. "For _what?"_

Cackling, he throws his arms out. "Human culling, of course!"

That seems to pull the other bugster up short, looking both confused and intrigued. Graphite shifts his attention to Genm which causes the president to raise his hands, showing that he means no harm. Granted, that's far from the truth when it comes to Genm but it seems to do the trick for Graphite since the warrior relaxes minutely.

"You have a hunter's gaze." The glare lightens into something thoughtful, sliding between him and to the calculative Genm. "Both of you."

A hunter, huh? Well, it's a pretty close comparison all things considered. Although, he'd say that abomination will always be the most accurate word in describing him.

It's what Father used to call him after all.

...wait.

Who _was_ his father again? Someone did create him after all; a few years before Y2K. But who was it?

Can't remember.

...was it Time?

Maybe?

Ah, well. Not important.

"Very well, I'm in."

Breaking out of his confusing thoughts, Parad glances down at the resolute looking Graphite and the smug Genm. Happy to know that there's another bugster besides him, Parad teleports to stand in front of Graphite and pats the other bugster's shoulder with a grin.

"Sweet!" Pausing, he hums and cradles his chin when he's struck by a thought. "Gotta teach you the rules first though."

Brows furrowed, Graphite shifts uncertainly. "Rules?"

"Of course," Genm smoothly interjects this time, walking up to them with that scheming smile on his face. "Every game needs its rules after all."

Graphite continues to look confused, but that's alright. He'll learn.

"So there ya have it!" Parad extends his hand with a cackle. "Welcome to the team, Graphite."

When Graphite hesitantly returns the handshake, Parad feels like his grin would split his face from how wide it is.

Oh, this is gonna be so much _**fun.**_


	10. 09

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Should've known M wouldn't recognise me," Parad muses quietly to himself, stabbing a clawed finger through his palm and pouts at the lack of pain. Right. The experiments rendered him numb to any sort of physical pain. "How rude."
> 
> Parad giggles, licking his bloodstained palm with a grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**09**

* * *

Years pass but he only takes note of it from the changing seasons.

It's a routine of games and fighting to build the ultimate game. Some days, Parad stays in the building to play his games while in others, he lounges on a spot above Genm and Graphite somewhere whenever they need to check on whatever Genm's been planning. It's not so bad. A bit boring at times but, overall, not bad. He gets to play every game available because of Genm's connections while also enjoying himself by beating the shit out of humans in underground fighting rings so that Genm can have the info he needs to build Parad's own personal gashat.

It's a bit murky but, whenever he wasn't strapped onto a metal gurney, Parad hazily recalls spending his days fighting and solving things. He's learned that it was the scientists' way to figure out what he's capable of beyond the biological properties of his body(?). As all living creatures, if you wanna know what they're capable of, you need to test their physical and mental capabilities.

And he did just that.

_You're a monster_ _— a devil._

...a little too well probably, since the humans preferred to dissect him in the later days because they got too scared that they won't be able to hold him back one day.

_Spare us!_

Well...they weren't wrong for being scared.

But despite the fact that the days bleed together, Parad somehow still manages to find himself watching from the university gates as medical students celebrate their graduation amongst friends and family. He convinces himself that the churning in his stomach is nothing more than disgust for the race that has hurt him so, instead of...whatever else it could be.

(He doesn't think about jealousy and stolen chances. Why would he?)

It just takes a heartbeat and sweeping glance for him to spot M within the crowd of dozens. Parad sees the sweet smile and soft laughter. Sees the boy that is no more, but a man. Naive and hopeful.

What a contrast to the poison in his veins and the hollow dance of Parad's own heart.

He passes by the courtyard in human clothes (he's a being who should not exist), fingers twitching in an effort to restrain himself from running his claws through these fake, prideful race and render them into crumbling pixels. But he doesn't. Clean up will be a mess and Genm will definitely won't stop bitching at him if Parad ends up delaying any of his carefully laid plans.

His hand shoots out before he's even aware of it, catching the stumbling body in a protective hold. Hands grasp his biceps and a familiar face looks up at him under a head full of soft, dark hair. A smile blooms across that face and for a heart stopping moment, Parad thinks that M _does_ remember him after all.

"Thank you," M mumbles with an embarrassed smile and bows in gratitude.

Parad only had a chance to smile back before M politely excuses himself to join his batchmates without a backward glance.

...oh.

No recognition.

Nothing.

Just...a _stranger._

Somewhere in the distance, windows shatter but Parad takes no notice of that as he teleports away and for some inexplicit reason, he's back at where the extraction took place.

Huh.

Despite that it's been abandon for years, the equipment are still intact.

...Let's fix that, shall we?

A laugh breaks pass his lips, rage and grief and pure unbridled _hate_ pours out as he destroys all the equipment in sight. Parad wants to kill and break bone as his emotions spin out control. Pixels burst out in waves. Fangs and claws tear and rip everything in sight like a hot knife through butter.

He laughs. He screams. He cries.

He wants the world to burn.

He wants to play and raze the humans to the ground until there's nothing left of them.

His heart is boiling and simmering, and he has no control over his emotions.

Parad tears machines apart with static blood in his mouth and claw marks on his face. He's laughing, he thinks.

Maybe?

Maybe.

...Who knows.

By the time he's done, his chest is heaving and he walks to a wall, completely spent. Sinking to the floor, Parad looks at the scattered shreds of equipment and can only think that it's not enough. Not anymore.

Parad wants to _**play.**_

"Should've known M wouldn't recognise me," Parad muses quietly to himself, stabbing a clawed finger through his palm and pouts at the lack of pain. Right. The experiments rendered him numb to any sort of physical pain. "How rude."

Parad giggles, licking his bloodstained palm with a grin.

"Parad..."

Glancing up, he finds his bugster friend standing a few feet from him with a concerned if cautious frown. When he gives his friend a fanged bloodstained grin, he laughs at the flinch Graphite failed to hide. Dusting off the dirt and grime, Parad bounds up to the other bugster with a hum.

"Ne, Graphite?" Resting an arm on Graphite's shoulder, he cackles as his grin threatens to split his face from the spite festering in his heart. "Forget culling the humans."

Graphite raises a brow at that. "Oh?"

"Yup!" Dancing away until he's standing in the middle of the room, Parad throws his arms out with a laugh as the cords on his back snap in hunger for the chaos to come. "What do you say if we render those shitty humans _extinct?"_

A blink before Graphite chuckles low and returns his unhinged grin with one of anticipation. "I'm not opposed to that."

Parad laughs and laughs until he feels like crying.

_All those who took my Heart away deserves a Game Over._


	11. 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Do you wish to live or die?"
> 
> "...I don't know, Graphite," he admits, smiling helplessly at his friend. "I don't know."
> 
> The other bugster's eyes soften. "I see."
> 
> "Do you pity me?"
> 
> "No." Graphite sits besides him. "I grieve for you."
> 
> And Parad can do nothing but laugh because yeah, that sounds just about right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**10**

* * *

2016 and 2017.

Parad takes these two years and jots them down like a tally. It makes him wonder if it's because he's just going by the motions or maybe he's just being impatient?

The first mark is obviously noted by the brief glimpse of M when Parad pretends to be Genm. The lack of recognition still stings and Parad can do nothing but laugh until tears well up in his eyes. He finds it ironic that he can still feel emotional pain despite everything that's happened. Finds it unfair, actually.

So he rolls up a sleeve and drags a pixelated claw against his wrist and lets it join the other scars on his skin.

**l**

Losing his first bugster friend makes him despise the humans even more despite the anger still simmering underneath when Graphite went and infected Hinata Kyoutarou. Parad doesn't know why but, outside of M and the blurry face of a woman, the older doctor is someone he strangely finds reluctant to hurt.

**ll**

Of course, the fated reunion with his former host by the lake just had to be ruined by M's doubts as a doctor while mourning the fact that Lazer got himself a Game Over.

**lll**

And then there's the fact that Burgermon's dead.

... _Is_ he dead, though? He's a bugster. They can't die. Parad has countless Game Overs to prove that.

Still, out of morbid curiousity Parad teleports to the top of the Sky Tree one night and freefalls down just to check and make sure.

"Yep." Parad blinks up at the night sky as static blood pools under his head from when his skull cracked against the pavement. "Can't die."

Straightening out his clothes, Parad teleports back into Genm's lair and collapses onto his hammock with a sigh. Pulling out his game console, Parad makes himself comfortable.

"What in the world happened to you?" Genm asks, tone gruff with a hint of concern and Parad glances up to find the human by the desktop and furiously typing away.

Parad blinks. "How long have you been there?"

"I've been here since we eradicated that bootleg Bugster," Genm says, rolling his eyes.

Oh yeah, that still pisses him off. "...huh."

"So?" Genm crosses his arms and swivels the chair to his direction, the stern frown on his face strangely reminds Parad of an overprotective older brother which is absolutely ridiculous because this is _Genm_ after all. "What happened to you? There's blood in your hair."

Parad carelessly waves a hand about. "Don't worry, it's mine."

"...I can never understand why you think that would actually be reassuring to know."

"Isn't it?" Parad turns on his game and continues where he left off. "I didn't off anybody. The plans are still in motion and shit."

"Parad."

Brows furrowing at the stern tone, Parad glances up to suddenly find Genm looming over him. Huh, when did the human get here? Before he can react, the president shoves an energy bar into his mouth without warning.

"Silly child," Genm mutters, clicking his tongue as Parad sputters and glares up at the human. "Take better care of yourself."

For a long moment, Parad considers spitting the bar to Genm's face especially since he's still pissed at that stunt with Burgermon but, he decides against it when the taste of strawberries hits his tongue. With a huff, Parad tears off a bite before he chews and swallows the morsel down. Immediately, he feels the head wound healing and despite his grumblings, runs a hand to his hair with pixelated fingers to clean it up. Then he turns away and takes another bite.

Genm chuckles, shaking his head and Parad wonders if the fondness that the human fails to hide in his eyes will soon be poisoned like everything else.

"I'm not a child, asshole," he grumbles as he chews, pressing the buttons for a combo. "I'm turning 22 this year, thanks."

Genm makes a surprised noise, a look of genuine interest on his face. "You are?"

"Yep. Can't remember much more than that though which kinda sucks."

With a thoughtful hum, Genm walks over to the desktop in the middle of the room. "Now that's interesting. Still, it doesn't change the fact that you're younger than me, silly child."

"Want me to infect your computer again, Game Master?" he threatens, waving his fingers into the air with a grin.

A paperweight is thrown in his direction at that, and Parad catches it with a cackle.

"You stay away from my work, you tiresome brat!" Genm snarls out in irritation.

Blowing a raspberry at the human, Parad pockets his console as he and Genm make faces at each other while hurling insults across the room.

Privately, he thinks that despite their differences, maybe it's not so bad being friends with Genm after all.

~~**llll** ~~

Things don't always go the way you want and Parad has known that fact for many years. Still, he really should stop being surprised at humanity's capabilities for betrayal.

Parad thought that it's bad enough that Genm doesn't give a damn about a bugster's life or even that of M's despite the fact that Parad had specifically asked the former CEO to leave his former host be. So taking that into account, no one can blame him for retaliating against Genm, _especially_ when the bastard revealed to M about his status as Patient Zero.

But then, when Genm took back his company again, Parad just _had_ to find out that Genm was the one who ordered New Genome to experiment on him all those years ago within the Chronicle server.

...it actually _hurts_ to find out about that, surprisingly.

So with both spite and hurt festering in his hollow heart, Parad takes Genm's bugsvisor and forces a Game Over on him.

The shock and horror amongst the humans should make his heart dance with glee but despite the smirk on his lips, all Parad can feel as he watches Genm writhing in pain and fear is just an echoing numbness. Turning away, he's grateful that the wave of corrupted pixels hide his tears from CR as he teleports away with a laugh.

**~~llll~~ l**

Despite that he has the ultimate game within his grasp, Parad feels no satisfaction whatsoever no matter how hard he tries. Which doesn't make sense. He has Graphite back and Poppy's on their side now because of Lovelica. He's got M to participate in the Kamen Rider Chronicle. All the busgters will soon reach their perfect forms and then they can start eradicating the humans.

And yet, why doesn't his heart dance anymore?

Is it because M still doesn't want to play with him?

But even after he reveals to his former host of their connection and shared past, nothing changed.

_Nothing._

Well, fine! He'll just render the humans extinct with the others. No more hurt and no more being little playthings for the humans. They'll be the ones to control their own fate and Parad will finally be the MC of his own goddamn life.

**~~llll~~ ll**

The clock strikes and shit hits the fan.

Dan Masamune struts into the game, _his_ game, and turns everything on its head. As the founder of Genm co. explains his plans that literally took 17 years to come into fruition, Parad realises with dread that Dan Masamune's voice is awfully familiar and when the human transforms into Kamen Rider Cronus, he finally understands why.

The one who ordered New Genome to experiment on him and tore his negative away from him back in Y2K— they were all done by Dan Masamune.

Not Genm.

Parad closes his eyes as relief and guilt hit him like the worst of Critical Strikes.

Just like how Genm framed Cronus for Zero Day, the older Dan had framed his son right back for his plans to succeed. It makes sense now and Parad has to refrain from laughing out loud because what a _moron_ he is. He should've known something was wrong when he found Genm's signature within the Chronicle server about the experiments. It was timed a little too well after all. But then, he was too angry at the time to think properly and Cronus took advantage of that. Doesn't help that Cronus would be the only one with a strong enough influence to manipulate that information when he saw Genm took back the company. And since the bastard found no more use of his son, Cronus had then used Parad's fury and hurt at Genm's supposed betrayal to do the dirty work for him instead.

Pawns, every last one of them.

One by one, they fall by Cronus' hands and the devil within him howls in both outrage and fear because there's something about Cronus that unsettles him. Parad thinks that it's because of the fear that threatens to drown him when Cronus permanently kills Lovelica, and don't get him wrong, it _is_ because of that. But he can't shake off the feeling that it's more than that too.

Parad gets his answer moments before Cronus disappears.

It's just a whisper, in a language no one should know about that he suspects Cronus can only pronounce because of Parad's Negative that's currently within the bastard's control. A specific phrase and name that he hasn't heard in years that only he and Time should know about in preparations for Y2K.

_Will you choose Elysium or Tartarus, Paradoxum de Millennium?_

Shaking and trembling in fear, Parad promptly teleports away and throws up on the ground with a scream.

**~~llll~~ lll**

Things steadily goes out of control after that.

His terror at the revelation that busgters can die overwhelms him and renders him almost to a noob level idiot, which, what the hell? He's had several Game Overs, death shouldn't scare him this much!

...right?

Oddly enough, he gets his groove back when he sees the teamwork between M and Genm to render PAUSE useless until Brave gets swayed to Cronus' side and then later, Lazer is brought back as a bugster. Then comes the revelation about Muteki and Poppy's sudden appearance and pleading him to help M in bringing down Cronus.

The fact that M betrays him doesn't even surprise him.

If this past year has taught him anything is that all humans are the same, always ready to turn their backs and go back on their word. Hell, they do that to their own kind, so for them to do the same to a race they see as nothing more than a disease and enemy characters isn't that much of a surprise.

Still hurts like a bitch though.

Welp! At least it makes things interesting for his hollow heart so there's that. However, getting his ass kicked by a LVL100 Brave was an annoying setback though.

"Parad," a voice calls out to him, bringing him out of his thoughts and he finds Graphite sticking up on a wall across from him. "I believe to render the humans extinct, we should start with CR."

He hums, chin on a palm. "Who do you wanna start with?"

"Brave," his friend answers with a smirk.

"Brave?" he echoes, blinking in confusion. "Not Snipe?"

Graphite shrugs. "Outside of Ex-Aid, I believe it's best to handle the strongest among them."

"True." He leans back against his palms, head tilting to the side. "I woulda thought you'd want a rematch against Snipe though."

"I strongly believe that if we're to go after Brave then, Snipe isn't too far behind." Graphite pauses, eyeing him evenly. "However, I'd like to ask you a question before we begin our quest, Sworn-brother."

He gestures Graphite to continue.

"Do you wish to die?"

His mind crashes then, abruptly starts right back up.

_**"...What!?"** _

Because what kind of question is _that!?_ He's been terrified of his fucking _mind_ the moment Cronus showed that a bugster can die just like any living creature and even if he's been trying to hide that fear, Parad knows that Graphite is at least aware that he hasn't been the same since that revelation.

"I've been around you for years and in recent events, your reaction to death is that of a paradox," Graphite explains in that calm, no nonsense manner of his. It reminds him too much of how mothers talk to their child.

He groans into his hands. "You're in your 'Mamaphite' mode aren't you?"

"I told you to stop calling me that," Graphite deadpans with an unimpressed frown, which just emphasizes the image of a stern mother even more.

Raising his head, he pinches the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Doesn't mean it ain't true."

"That aside—"

"You didn't even try to deny it," he mutters under his breath.

"You fear death and yet at the same time, I've seen that you have no care for your own life several times over the years. Almost as if you've been seeking death," Graphite explains.

He drops his hand, glaring at his friend. "What's your point, Graphite?"

"My point is that in this war, there will undoubtedly be casualties." Graphite drops to the ground and walks up to him, eyeing him in thought. "In my case, if I am to die, I will die in a battle to the death."

He nods. "A warrior's death."

"There's no higher honour for me in that," Graphite states with pride. "And that is why I ask you, Sworn-brother, do you wish to live or die?"

Parad gapes at his friend, but the other merely stares right back at him. It forces him to think on that. He's afraid of death but he's been through countless Game Overs so dying...it shouldn't scare him _this_ much. However at this point, he can't deny that he's terrified to die. And yet, outside of playing these games that pretty much went to hell in a hand basket the moment Cronus showed up, does he even _want_ to live?

He's afraid to die just as much as he's afraid to live.

Hell, what does it even _mean_ to be alive anyway?

"...I don't know, Graphite," he admits, smiling helplessly at his friend. "I don't know."

The other bugster's eyes soften. "I see."

"Do you pity me?"

"No." Graphite sits besides him. "I grieve for you."

And Parad can do nothing but laugh because yeah, that sounds just about right.

**~~llll~~ ~~llll~~**

One thing led to another and now Cronus is after his life to delete Muteki right out of existence.

"Guess I'm choosing Tartarus then," Parad mutters, dragging his claw to cross out the tally.

Rolling up his sleeve, Parad lets out a shuddering breath and clutches a bugvisor in his hand as he stands on the rooftop across Genm co. If Cronus' is out to kill him then, the best course of action would be bringing the fight _to_ the bastard instead. In a worst case scenario, at least it'll slow Cronus down.

_Ba-dump._

Freezing in place, Parad furrows in confusion when another heartbeat joins his. That...hasn't happened in a very long time. Wetting his lips, he turns around to find M standing behind him.

"Parad."

The expression on his former host is a mix of cold indifference and grim determination that contrast sharply with the anger, fear and a strange sort of guilty sorrow thumping steadily in M's heart. Funny how it's still a perfect foil to his own mix bag of crazy. But then, they've always been a pair of Yin and Yang.

_Ba-dump. Ba-dump._

Turning in place, Parad clenches his jaw before summoning up a smirk that feels too brittle to even pass up as one.

"M."

When words of a rainy day and the importance of both death and life pass M's lips, a sneaking suspicion forms. It builds as his vision is filled with the gold of Muteki and then abruptly blackens with the dark waters of Death. It's only when the surface breaks by fluttering white and a hand reaching for him with desperate hope that Parad is sure of it.

Both Tartarus and Elysium have come for him in the form of his precious Heart.


	12. 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "A final piece of advice, Paradoxum," Cronus murmurs, voice steady despite the faint note of resignation in the man's voice. "All hearts are broken."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)
> 
> __________
> 
> As all of you might've already noticed, there's a number of references to Greek mythology in this fic. The references are there because of the notes in the wiki about Dan Masamune and Dan Kuroto as well as their similarities to Kronos and Zeus respectively. Because of that, I tend to compare Parad to Typhon because of his connection to Kronos and Zeus especially in some versions of the myth.
> 
> Anyways, just thought I should explain things a bit.

* * *

**11**

* * *

As Parad takes M's...no, Emu's hand, he feels the human's fingers close around his in an answering grip that speaks of a promise to never let him go again.

It feels too good to be true.

He's caught off guard that instead of releasing his hand once he's back on his feet, Emu tugs him forward until Parad stumbles right into Emu's arms as the human holds him close.

Emu's... _hugging_ him?

For one long moment, all he can do is stand still as he's cradled so gently yet firmly within Emu's arms. The air is quiet but there's heartbreak and regret between them. There are still tears streaming down his face that matches the ever growing wet spot on his coat as Emu tucks his face into Parad's neck. It's warm and kind. Vastly different from the hurt and pain that he's used to.

He doesn't know what to do with that.

"Why?" he rasps out, struggling between fight or flight mode.

There's a truce between them now. Emu doesn't need to convince him to fight alongside him anymore so, why?

Emu tightens his hold, desperation wailing from his erratic heart.

Still shaken and unsure, Parad goes into flight mode and glitching out of Emu's hold to put some space between them. His heart lurches in his chest though when devastation and sorrow tears through Emu's face before they're replaced with regret and apology.

"I'm sorry, Parad."

Emu stretches out a hand and the look in his eyes is full of apology and a warmth that even as it lay hidden underneath cold, grim determination in their last fight, the echoes of it was still somehow felt through the bond. He can feel it so clearly now that when Emu rests his hand against the side of his face, it shocks Parad out of his roiling, confusing emotions of hategriefpainresentment— _longing_ and knocks him back into some semblance of clarity.

He can taste salt in the air and raises a hand to rest on top of Emu's, feeling the faint trembling.

There are tears in Emu's eyes and when his former host hesitantly steps in close, Parad doesn't flinch back this time. Instead, he welcomes the human into his arms as Emu clings to him as apologies spill from his lips.

"I'm sorry," comes the choked sob, his coat getting steadily soaked as Emu hugs him close and their bond wails. "For ignoring you. For forgetting you. For hurting you— _everything."_

Parad breathes, wraps his trembling arms around Emu and holds on tight. "Me too. I'm so sorry for e-everything."

They still need to handle Cronus, still need stop the Chronicle. Things are still a mess. So many mistakes and misplaced anger that he needs to confront.

There's no quick fix to any of this.

Not the tentative trust between him and Emu, nor for the sins he's committed.

In his quest to play the ultimate game with Emu both out of hatred for humanity and his desire to be with his former host again, Parad has become exactly like the humans that hurt and disregarded him as a living being.

He's fine being a monster or an abomination or even a devil, but...to be the same thing that he's hated for so long?

That, he can't stand.

"I really am the worst sort of paradox, aren't I?" he whispers, looking skyward as tears stream down his face.

Emu shakes his head, hands gripping the back of his coat. "We didn't give the bugsters a chance either despite knowing that you're a living being just as much as us humans."

He stays quiet at that.

Although he knows better now, the resentment he has against humanity still hasn't waned and maybe it won't for a long time to come. But he thinks that it might not such a bad thing anymore— not with his newfound understanding of things.

However, that's not what's important right now.

"...we need to go," he gently ( _is_ he even capable of being gentle anymore?) reminds his former host. "We gotta stop Cronus."

Time. The Harvester.

The one who never fails to remind Parad that he's nothing more than his greatest abomination.

...and of course, the one who started it all.

Fingers brush the fringe of his hair and Parad glance down to find Emu staring up at him in concern and, it really does make him wonder at the unwavering kindness of his Heart.

"Will you be alright?" the intern asks.

It worries him, how everything can go wrong in just a second if they're not careful. After all, he knows best on how volatile his Negative is and it's only because of the lock in place by the Chronicle that he can't fight to full power like he wants to the moment Cronus stepped into the game. Because even if it's been more than 17 years, Cronus _is_ still using a power that's not his own. Hell if anyone knows what will happen if they don't bring the megalomaniac down.

More than that, Parad can't deny he's still terrified of what Cronus will do.

Still.

"No," he answers honestly, leaning down until their foreheads touch as Emu holds him closer still. "But I will be."

And right now, that has to be enough.

* * *

A fuckin' RESET.

Just remembering of how his Negative responded to Cronus' meltdown makes him want to tear his hair out, honestly!

As he follows behind Poppy after failing to convince Graphite (his friend— his sworn-brother) to fight _with_ them against Cronus, Parad scowls at the ground and watches as his boots sink in slightly in the wet earth. He hates this. Clicking his tongue with a vicious curse, Parad glances up in surprise when Poppy lets out a squeak and flinches under her umbrella.

His brows knit in confusion before Parad has to bite another curse when he realises why.

Even from the back, it's obvious that Poppy's scared.

 _'Well, of course she is,'_ he inwardly scolds himself, hands deep in his coat pockets. _'I've been nothing but a shitty monster to her up until now, after all.'_

Parad doesn't remember what it means to be kind. He thinks New Genome and the countless Game Overs have butchered any semblance of kindness from him a long time ago. But...he knows guilt and, knows what it means to be hurt and in pain. And somehow along the way, he's learned what remorse is too. So even if he may never know what it means to be kind again, Parad thinks that maybe he can at least try to do right by the people he's wronged.

"I'm sorry."

Poppy falters in her steps, turning to him with a confused frown. "Eh?"

"I'm sorry for everything." The moments his apology spills out, Parad finds that he doesn't know how to stop as he lets the rain soak him along with his misery. "For hurting you. For forcing you to fight against the humans. For—"

A hand touches his cheek, cutting off his rambling. "I forgive you."

His brain stalls, then starts back up again.

"Eh?" He blinks rapidly and watches in confusion as Poppy giggles. "Just like that?"

His fellow bugster raises her umbrella until it shields the both of them from the rain with a soft smile. "Just like that."

"...why?"

His decisions may be erratic and a mess of paradoxes like his name but bugsters are logical creatures by nature first and foremost so for Poppy to forgive him (hell, for _Emu_ to even forgive him after all the shit he put his former host through) so quickly is something he just can't compute. Has the other bugster been around humans for too long or something? Is forgiveness really that common to be given to an abomination like him?

...now that's worrying— _especially_ since that's something that can easily be taken advantage of and manipulated by others for their own personal gain. Well, crap. Parad's starting to think that he needs look out for Emu and Poppy just in case since it appears that these two are a little too trusting of others for their own good.

"Because you're not that same person anymore," Poppy answers, voice soft and so terribly kind as she materializes a towel and carefully drapes it over his head. "You're finally letting yourself understand how wrong you were instead of ignoring things like you used to."

Parad carefully takes the umbrella from Poppy so that the other won't have to strain up to cover them both from the downpour. "And that's actually enough?"

"For me it is," Poppy reassures, gently rubbing the towel through his curls.

With a huff, he obligingly ducks his head to make things easier for Poppy. "...Thanks."

"I'm really glad that you're finally on our side now," Poppy singsongs as the other bugster suddenly hugs him without hesitation.

He snorts and smiles when Poppy reach up to tug at his curls.

"I'm serious, _mou!"_ After a moment, Poppy leans back slightly to give him a hopeful smile. "Parad?"

"Yeah?"

Poppy bites her lip, looking like she's gathering her courage before her face sets in determination. "Can we be friends?"

Blinking in shock, Parad somehow manages to stop the incredulous laugh that threatens to burst out just shy of biting his tongue. Yup, he definitely needs to keep an eye out on Poppy because fuckin' hell, this girl is just too kind for her own good.

...But, he doesn't dislike it.

"I'd like that." Parad gives Poppy a pat on the head, the smile on his face feeling genuine for the first time in ages. "Very much."

With an excited clap of her hands, Poppy launches herself into his arms to reel him in a tight hug. "Pipopapo Yay!"

"Oi!" Somehow managing to still shield them with the umbrella, he holds the younger bugster close with a grin. "Be careful there, brat."

Said brat only pokes her tongue out him with a laugh and with a roll of his eyes, Parad joins her.

* * *

It's not often Parad questions his lack of sanity but even he has to wonder if he's finally in the deep end as he stands a safe distance away from Cronus in the middle of the megalomaniac's office.

"What do you want?" he questions, hands by his side as the cords on his back snaps behind him ready to strike when needed.

It took a lot to convince both Emu and CR to let him meet up with the bastard when Cronus extended an invitation (a threat, really) after all, so Parad rather not waste any time— _especially_ not with Cronus having Gamedeus' power now at his disposal.

"I thought we could have some quality time before I close the deal," Cronus answers blithely from where he sits by the piano.

Parad scoffs, snarling as his fangs elongated. "Before the shit storm you're gonna throw at us, ya mean."

Cronus just gives him an indulgent smile and gestures to the piano. "Any last request?"

"You haven't won," he bites out, irritated.

Cronus had the gall to raise a brow as his smile turns condescending. _"Yet."_

"And I guarantee that you _won't."_

With a hum, the bastard turns back to the piano. "We'll see."

Parad has never been a patient person even if he's learned better over the years but _goddamn_ if wasn't for the lock on the Master Gashat that keeps the lion share of his powers at bay and his Negative being torn away from him, he'd pawn this smug asshole _ages_ ago.

"Paradoxum de Millennium." Flinching at the familiar stern tone of that cold voice, Parad returns his attention to see that Cronus is patting the empty seat next to him on the bench. "Sit."

He wants nothing more than to rebel at the command, but forgotten memories remind him of the consequences in defying Dan Masamune and while he doesn't much care what happens to him at this point if it means stopping this madman, Parad knows that he won't be of help to anyone if he's dead.

...and as much as he hates to admit it, even to himself, some part of him still respects the bastard.

So with a clench of his jaw until his teeth grinds painfully together, Parad forces himself forward and plops down onto the empty seat.

Nodding in approval, Cronus gestures again to the piano. "Your request, little Typhon?"

While he rolls his eyes at the familiar nickname, Parad doesn't refute it. Why would he? It's who he is in this fucked up game of mythology they're all playing after all. Although, it still leaves him in stitches whenever he's reminded of the fact that Genm is the one who's playing the role of Zeus.

Well, at least it ain't Hades. Like hell he's gonna compare that zombie maniac to one of the few good and decent Greek deities.

"...Time of Victory," he finally decides on after a long moment, smiling sarcastically at Cronus at the implied irony.

"Excellent choice," the madman merely says before pressing down the keys for the notes of the song.

And with a resigned sigh, Parad follows suit.

It's like riding a bike, playing the piano side by side with Cronus. The keys are familiar that fly under his fingers and despite himself, Parad feels a tug on his lips into a happy grin as he continues to play. It's a poisonous, bittersweet feeling. Unbiddenly, it makes him wonder if Genm ever had the chance to play like this— wonders if he was ever allowed to. Stupidly enough, he also wonders and mourns at the fact that Poppy may never get the chance to do the same, despite the poison these memories will always bring.

In the end, he thinks that perhaps it's for the best.

Once the final note of the song echoes in the office, Parad stares at the keys as his mind whirls at the reason behind his presence here in enemy territory. For all states and purposes, he should be dead by now and yet—

"Do they know?" Cronus' question breaks him out his thoughts and Parad gives the man a curious sideways glance. "Kuroto and Poppy."

It's...rare nowadays for Cronus to address them as anything but the name of their games which causes him to refrain from snapping out a sarcastic non-answer. Still, that doesn't mean he's gonna make it easy for the bastard.

"You tell me." A finger presses down a key and Parad frowns as he voices out his suspicion. "Didja do anything to Poppy before Genm got to her?"

Cronus crosses his legs and rests his clasped hands on a knee. "I succeeded."

"Ah." So his assumption is right on the head then, what with Poppy always feeling too organic to just be Dan Sakurako's virus. "So not a bastard child like me then."

Cronus shakes his head, tone almost gentle as the other corrects him. "On the contrary, you've always been a success."

A hysterical laugh breaks past his lips as Parad shakes his head because they both know that's not true and that no matter what side he's on, Parad has, and always will be an _abomination._

Once he's got his laughter under control, Parad gives Cronus a brittle grin that carries too many questions with no closure. "Do you even love us? _Any_ of us?"

With a long weighing look, Cronus eventually dips his head into a shallow nod. "For as long as all of you hold merit to me, yes."

"Why am I not surprised?" he mutters with a snort, slumping in his seat.

Sighing, the CEO rises from the bench and when it seems like he's about to make his exit, Cronus rests a hand on top of his head to then ruffle Parad's curls. In spite of the fact of all the pain and hurt Cronus has inflicted on him, tears well up unbidden in his eyes at the cruel mimicry of a father's touch as Parad studiously keeps himself still.

"A final piece of advice, Paradoxum," Cronus murmurs, voice steady despite the faint note of resignation in the man's voice. "All hearts are broken."

Clenching his teeth as the pieces fall into place within this complicated puzzle, Parad finally understands why he was summoned in the first place.

The hand on his head gives his curls one last pat before it disappears along with its owner, leaving behind only a faint whisper in the still air.

 _"We_ are all broken."

 _The only reason why they're here_ —

"...yeah." With a shuddering sob, Parad bows his head and lets the tears to fall onto the piano keys. "I know."

_— is to say their goodbyes._


	13. 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parad thought he understood death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**12**

* * *

Parad thought he understood death.

As he kneels on the ground, Parad thinks on how naive he's been over the years. The concept of Game Overs might be similar to dying but it's not actually _dying_ itself. The closest of course, was his last fight against Emu but even then, his former host had pulled him back from the brink of oblivion.

Not this time.

Terror; sharp and chilling strikes down from the bond and Parad looks up to see the horrified face of Houjou Emu staring right back at him.

 _'_ **_Why!?_ ** _'_ Emu's voice wails through the bond, mouth opened in a silent scream.

Parad smiles. ' _It was the only way.'_

There are tears in his eyes hidden from view as his body breaks down into fading pixels; crumbling away to nothing without so much as a glancing touch. Even from where he is, Parad can see the denial and tears welling up in Emu's eyes. To see that Emu would cry for him, Parad supposes it shows how far they've come since their truce.

Still...he wishes there'd been another way— _anything_ to spare Emu the pain.

Movement from the edge of his vision catches his attention and he shifts his gaze to the father and son pair staring at him in shock.

It feels like he's thrown into the Twilight Zone or something when he spots Genm looking like as if he's struggling to tamper down the horrified grief in his eyes while Cronus himself has adopted a blank look on face, surprisingly lacking any hint of smug satisfaction that Parad at least expected to see a glimmer of in the bastard's eyes.

They really are broken, aren't they?

Even so, Parad's glad that he gathered enough courage to apologise and explained his murderous actions to Genm or that the former human even accepted his remorse with his usual cackle and threatening him never to do that again before dragging him into his schemes to strike down Cronus for using them against each other.

...hell, Parad's even glad that he got to play the piano one last time with Cronus too.

"All hearts are broken," he murmurs, a stray tear sliding down his cheek as he looks down. "Ours just happened to be more fucked up than most, I guess."

His vision is fading and his heart is slowing between each beat like a death toll. He's too numb to feel terrified like he thought he'd be but then...maybe it's because a part of him has already long accepted that he was never meant to survive this final battle at all.

"Graphite...Poppy...I don't know where I'll end up with all the sins I've committed, but—" he mumbles to ground and raises a hand up. "I hope it can still be wherever you two are."

A rustle and he glances up to see that Emu is struggling to his feet. "Parad...!"

With a watery smile, Parad clenches his fist. "I hope this make up for my sins, somewhat..."

Even though his existence hadn't exactly been the best, Parad's still grateful that at least Emu will be the last thing he sees before he goes. That's why even as his smile is faltering around the edges and held by nothing but dogged will, Parad reaches out and sees Emu scrambling and running and reaching for him with a bloodcurdling scream.

**_"PARAD!"_ **

Breathing out his last, Parad catches one last glimpse of his precious human Heart before everything is lost to the pitch black waters.

-

-

-

He comes aware, piece by puzzle piece.

Voices and feelings come and go as he floats above the ebbing waters within the dark. It's lukewarm...or maybe he's just numb to the sensations now? Crap, that means he's not where Graphite and Poppy are.

Then...bugster Hell? Or just nothingness for an abomination like him? Parad wouldn't be surprised if that's the case. Still, a small part of him had been hopeful that he could at least see his two bugster friends and the rest of their kin. Even Lovelica's weirdness woulda been nice to see again.

Ah, well.

It's a little strange though, how familiar this place is when fear doesn't grip him like a noose around his neck. Has he been here before? Or maybe...this is where he came from?

All of the discarded data have to go somewhere, right? So maybe all of the data from Y2K had gathered within this endless expense of the Empty and somehow, he was born from it because of the Harvester and Genome?

...doesn't matter now, Parad supposes. He's dead now, after all.

Water ebbs around him but as time goes on, Parad starts to feel his senses coming back to him. Slowly yet surely. There are images flitting across his mind's eye— from Cronus' downfall to a crowd within a press conference. It confuses him on why he's seeing these things but Parad can't bring himself to complain.

He passes the time by talking to himself about games and memories of his past that he's slowly regaining. Dimly, he wonders if Emu's listening despite them being separated by the thin line of life and death.

It's a long shot but Parad thinks that when unexpected bursts of warmth and affection wrap him up in a tender cradle, that Emu really might be listening, as impossible as that may seem.

Eventually, the numbness fades in time and his senses become clearer as his heart starts heart beating again; slow and sure and growing ever louder. Warmth blooms in his chest, spreading and growing stronger for each breath he takes. It strikes him that while there should be no end and no beginning to where he is— it's not the end.

Not yet.

Parad is still here and he has _so_ much to make up for. So much to repent.

So much to live for.

...right?

Ripples break the surface and feeling something against his back, Parad turns his head to see his monochrome reflecti—

No.

Eyes widening, he gapes when he realises at _what_ exactly he's looking at right under him.

That's his Negative! His _body!_

Hold on...does that mean with Cronus defeated, he gets his body back and everything is finally coming to full circle?

_Ever wonder why you could transform into Ex-Aid even though Parad was erased?_

A heartbeat joins his own and hope grows stronger unlike ever before as he twines his fingers with the ones behind him, darkness slowly receding as mind and body glitch together— the once broken connection finally mending, one pixel at a time.

_There's only one answer!_

With a grin, his gaze snaps upward as a familiar figure in white floats towards him with that familiar soft smile. Ah, his ever bleeding human Heart and eternal Elysium.

_You mean, that time...?_

Their hands reach for each other, palm to palm.

Parad smiles.

_You were infected by Parad once again!_

And Houjou Emu smiles back at him.


	14. 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's no quick fix.
> 
> Not for the sins he's committed or even the ones against him. But that's alright. 
> 
> Parad's got time to learn and be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)
> 
> ___________
> 
> WARNING: There's some spoilers from the Novel about Houjou Kiyonaga

* * *

**13**

* * *

There's no quick fix.

Not for the sins he's committed or even the ones against him. But that's alright. Parad's got time to learn and be better, not just as a person but for all of the hurt and pain that were inflicted on him too. Now that he has the time to think back on it, he's been sick for years now; both in heart and in mind.

He just needed to admit it, and allow himself to ask for help.

It's hard and there are too many times he's thrown up from the guilt for his sins and the agony of his past traumas. But he's not alone. Emu, Poppy and the rest of CR are with him every step of the way and he can't be any more grateful than that. So he soldiers on, day by day. He and Emu are finally living together after weeks of being under probation, and he's made himself at home in the cozy apartment as well as within Emu whenever they don't want to be separated from each other during the day. However, when they _do_ separate, Parad fills his time by either playing games or helping out at the Ministry to bring back the Vanished, and when he finally gathers enough courage, Parad commits himself into therapy.

Because he refuses to stay as a Noob, dammit!

There's no Deus ex Machina and honestly, he prefers it that way. So piece by piece, he gets better. Kindness doesn't feel as foreign as it used to be, neither giving nor receiving it. Parad takes careful measures. He handles the backlog of angerhatredresentment that have been festering inside of him for far too long one bit at a time, and replaces it with things and people that make him happy. It's an ongoing process. Some days are more difficult than others, but he has his precious Heart with him as well as former enemies that are slowly becoming his friends.

He's alive and is slowly learning how to live outside of the game — that's what counts.

"Parad."

Glancing up from his therapy journal, Parad sees a serious looking Genm standing in front of his cell. Well, that's rare.

He raises a brow in question, closing his journal. "Yeah?"

Genm gestures to a seat in front of his cell. "A word, please."

"Sure." With a shrug, he glitches onto the seat and crosses his arms. "What's up?"

Genm shakes his head and points to the CR elevator. "Let's wait for Poppy."

Not a second after he said that, Poppy stumbles out of the elevator in her Asuna guise.

"I'm here!" Costume changing back to her bugster self, Poppy glances between him and Genm with a concerned frown. "Is everything alright?"

"I merely want to confirm some things, that's all," Genm reassures the other bugster before gesturing to the bars of his cell. "If you'd be so kind, Poppy? As I trust you've gotten permission for a brief respite."

Still concerned, Poppy nonetheless unlocks the cell and allows Genm to step out of the arcade cabinet. "An hour. No more than that."

"It'll do," Genm sighs as he straightens out his jacket before swiveling to him, sombre. "Parad."

Faintly amused and a touch concern, Parad leans back into his seat. "Hm?"

"Have you regained your memories of your past?" Genm demands, cutting straight to the point.

Frowning, he gives a nod and wonders where this is going. "Pretty much."

"In that case..." Eyes narrowed, Genm crosses his arms. "Was Dan Masamune the one who created you?"

Huh...cat's outta the bag then. Taking a deep breath, Parad gives the bond he shares with Emu a gentle poke.

"He was," he confirms after a long moment with a weary sigh, smiling tiredly at Poppy when she gasps in shock. Sliding his gaze back to Genm, he leans forward to rest his arms on his knees and gives Genm a sardonic smirk. "But he needed Zaizen's help in stabilising me into a hybrid though so there's that."

While still looking shell shocked, Poppy moves close to take the seat next to him. "Stabilising you?"

"I was just an A.I virus created back in 1995 to rewrite the bugs within the systems in preparation for Y2K," he explains, thoughtful as he reminisces on the memories he's regained. "The thing is, Y2K was  _ crazy. _ Too many data in too many places so the thing everyone was afraid of? They had every right to be worried."

With a frown, Genm takes the remaining seat on his other side and crosses his arms. "But then, how did you...?"

"How did I came to be?" When the former CEO nods, Parad sighs and rubs a weary hand to his forehead. "Well...you could say that I'm sorta similar to Frankenstein's monster."

Poppy makes an affronted sound at the comparison. "Why would you say that?"

"Seems to fit," he says with a snicker and dodges the pinch to his ribs with a smirk before quickly sobering. "Anyways. Think of the bugs within every system in the world that were rewritten as my cells. All of those bugs I consumed soon formed my body so to say, and me as the mind. But I wasn't sentient, not yet at least."

Genm taps his foot with a hum, unsurprised and thoughtful.

"When the New Millenium rolled around all those years ago, everything just..." Here, he lets out a frustrated whine, gesturing with his hands as he tries to find the right words to explain. " _ Lit _ up and it acted like the lighting or the trigger that violently shocked me into achieving Singularity and I was then born instead of just being a creation."

"But you weren't stable."

"What did you expect after achieving Singularity so violently the way I did, Genm?" Parad quips with a scoff. "After Y2K, I came back to Genm corp. and Cronus discovered that I became a virus with extremely high electromagnetic radiation."

Immediately, the expression on Genm's face turns sour. "That would explain why you fried my laptop after I found you in the system."

"Oops," he drawls out, unrepentant with a smug grin causing Genm to retaliate by kicking his chair which Parad avoids with a cackle before clapping his hands with false cheer. "So~! While I was still dangerous to people because of the high radiation I was emitting, I couldn't infect anyone...or well, at least not properly since I wasn't stable yet."

Genm scowls harder. "Until Dan Masamune gained Zaizen's help."

"Yep."

Beside him, Poppy tugs at his sleeve. "And me?"

Hesitant, he exchanges a look with Genm. While he has to wonder why Genm's bringing this all up months after Cronus' downfall, Parad has to admit that he feels relieved. There's no doubt that Genm already knows about Poppy considering he was the one who brought the other bugster back so the fact that all three of them are here means that it's about time to lay all of their cards on the table.

So with a sigh, he takes Poppy's hand into his own and gives it a gentle squeeze.

"Cronus told me that he got to you before Genm did because he wanted to ensure Dan Sakurako's safety," he reveals to the younger bugster and watches as Poppy falls silent, turning a touch pale. "So most likely, Cronus was the one who created you and Genm was the one who helped 'raise' you, I guess? Kinda like the older brother picking up slack of the neglectful father."

Clicking his tongue, Genm scowls down at his loafers. "I'm still annoyed that he planned all of this beyond my divine foresight."

"He was Kronos and you were Zeus. Nuff said."

Genm glares at him underneath his bangs. "And what were you?"

"Typhon, obviously."

Poppy grips his hand tight. "Greek mythology?"

"Yeah." Jabbing a thumb to Genm, he gives Poppy a cheeky grin which she thankfully returns. "Cronus had a god complex worse than this maniac after all."

Genm throws his arms out with a maniacal laugh, almost tipping over his seat from the force of it.

Snorting with a fond shake of his head, Parad slides his attention back to Poppy as she bites her lip.

"Then...what about me?" Confused and a bit lost, Poppy looks to him and Genm. "What was I in his game?"

"Hestia," he and Genm answer without hesitation, causing Poppy to light up with a blushing grin.

While he and Genm don't always agree on some things, they can at least work together in ensuring Poppy is as safe and happy as possible.

Eventually the grin lightens into a small, hesitant smile as Poppy gestures to the three of them. "So, what happens now? Are we...family?"

His mind blanks before it starts back up again, and he exchanges a blank look with Genm before slowly turning back to Poppy with a smile that feels more like a grimace.

"Dunno," Parad admits honestly. He sure as hell has no idea how to untangle that kind of question and the issues it brings but for Poppy's sake, he does his best to try because it seems Genm is still in buffering mode. "While all three of us were created by Cronus in one sense or another, it doesn't necessarily mean we're related. Considering how me and Genm are all levels of fucked up, even  **_I_ ** wouldn't want to be related to me and that's saying something."

With a start, Genm shakes himself out of his daze and summons up a benign smile. "I hate to admit it but I agree with Parad. My divine attributes aside, being related to the Dan family isn't exactly a blessing, dear Poppy."

"But that's for me to decide, isn't it?" Poppy questions with a pout, crossing her arms.

Exchanging another look with Genm, he dips his head in a slow nod. "It is."

"Then give me time to think about it and I'll decide if I want two 'fucked up' older brothers, okay?" Poppy decides with a stern frown.

Looking as if he's about to make a big announcement, Genm suddenly swivels to him with an accusing finger. "Parad, you're grounded."

"Wait." A blink and then he turns to gape at the indignant Genm.  _ "What?" _

Genm slaps a hand against the console of the game cabinet in a form of righteous fury. "It's your fault that Poppy cursed! I demand divine retribution this instant!"

"Hah!?" Shooting up from his seat, Parad glares down at Genm with a scowl. "How is that  _ my _ fault, ya zombie maniac?!"

With a sneer, Genm jumps to his feet. "You  _ dare _ ...!"

Their fight breaks off when Poppy throws herself at them, gathering him and Genm both into a group hug.

Well, this is weird.

...good weird though, surprisingly. 

"Whatever happens next," Poppy whispers, tightening her hold and hilariously rendering two powerful Riders helpless just from a hug alone. "Just know that I love you both so very much- flaws and all."

Unsurprisingly, Genm folds first (what with him always having a soft spot for Poppy and all) before stiffly wrapping his arms around him and Poppy with a magnanimous huff.

"You're too foolishly kind, Poppy." Expression softening minutely, Genm ducks his head as he whispers. "I don't dislike that, however."

Lips quirking up into a watery smile, Parad returns the group hug and holds the two bugsters close to him.

"Same." Swallowing the lump in his throat, Parad leans his head against the two in front of him. "...we love you too, Poppy."

Genm scoffs beside him but doesn't refute his words, making him and Poppy laugh.

Life really loves throwing Critical Strikes at him but for once, Parad's not complaining.

Not one bit.

* * *

The apartment’s dark by the time they arrive home.

Separating himself from Emu, he reforms back and stands by the genkan with a smile. "Okaeri, Emu."

It’s not the first time he’s done this but even so, it never fails to pull a bright smile on Emu’s face for being welcomed back home after a long day at work. 

"Tadaima, Parad," Emu murmurs happily, leaning against his shoulder with a weary sigh.

Carding his fingers through soft hair, Parad scoops his friend into his arms with practiced ease and makes his way to their shared bedroom. "Long day, huh?"

"For the both of us." Arms wrap around his neck as Emu snuggles into his neck. "Thank you for letting me eavesdrop about the whole Cronus thing."

Shrugging, he carefully lays Emu onto his bed before teleporting onto his hammock besides the bed with a sigh. "Well, you  _ do _ have every right to know considering everything that's happened."

With a yawn, Emu stretches on the bed and clumsily waves a hand to change into his pyjamas. Smiling in seeing how his partner is getting used to his powers as Patient Zero, he follows suit. After making himself comfortable, Parad uses a tendril of pixels to gently rock the hammock.

"And my father?" Lying on his side, Parad finds Emu doing the same beside him as his friend gives him a confused frown. "How was he involved in all of this when the whole Y2K-bugster incident was never his fault?"

"That bastard doesn't deserve to be your father," he petulantly, causing Emu to give him a wistful smile. Hunkering down slightly, Parad crosses his arms. "Cronus wanted a convenient scapegoat and Kiyonaga fit the bill so Cronus made him believe that it was his fault that I mutated into a bugster. He already had Zaizen handling the medical side of things, all that's left is to create the right tool that could withstand the dangers of a software  _ and _ biological virus at the same time."

Realisation shines in Emu’s eyes. "The Gamer Driver."

"Exactly," he confirms with a nod. "Since he was a mechanical engineer for a medical device company, the original schematics for the Gamer Driver came from Kiyonaga and was later adapted into what it is now."

Pained and thoughtful, Emu pinches the bridge of his nose with a weary sigh. "I see..."

Parad bites his lip in guilt.

A few days after his revival, Parad told Emu everything that happened and how Kiyonaga had been involved in Cronus’ schemes. Unsurprisingly, his partner had shut down and wrecked the kitchen out of fury, hurt and grief. Already expecting such a reaction, Parad had soundproofed the apartment beforehand, allowing Emu to cry and lash out as much as he needed without worry. Once the intern calmed down, he had gathered Emu into his arms and taught the human how to mend the broken kitchen back to how it was by using the powers he’s infected by to help him process.

Not for the first time, Parad wonders when he’ll ever stop being the harbinger of pain to the person he loves most.

Hesitantly, he reaches out to brush his fingers against Emu’s knuckles. "I'm sorry, Emu."

Eyes snapping opened, Emu takes his hand in a firm grip as the bond practically bursts with warmth. 

"None of that was your fault, Parad,” Emu states firmly, dark eyes bleeding into a blazing scarlet. “Do you understand?"

"But Kiyonaga — "

" — stopped being my father long before Y2K happened. He made his choice,” Emu cuts in before his expression lightens and threads their fingers together. “And I've made mine."

"...I can still throw him outta the window for you, if you want," he tentatively offers, causing Emu to burst out laughing and easing the knot of anxiety in his gut.

"Thank you, Parad." Struggling to get his giggles under control, Emu squeezes his hand in gratitude. "But he's not worth it."

"Fine." While he pouts at being denied, Parad relents nonetheless. "But tell me if you change your mind."

"You'll be the first to know," Emu reassures, eyes dancing with mirth before his expression turns serious. "More importantly, how's your Negative?"

"Slow but it's getting there." Leaning their foreheads together, Parad uses the bond to help Emu feel the progress and watches as Emu’s eyes grow thoughtful. "It's probably gonna take me a year or two to get my Negative back completely though."

Nodding in understanding, Emu gives the bond a gentle prod using his antibody to help the integration along a bit. "Still, I'm happy for you. You can finally get your body back."

"Yeah." He cuts off the antibody flow, not wanting Emu to exhaust himself and squints down at his partner. "And you? Do you feel pain or anything? I mean, me being whole again might have some sort of side effects on you."

"If there is, it's nothing bad as far as I know." When his skepticism doesn’t lighten up, Emu cradles the side of his face with a chuckle. "I'm alright, Parad."

"But you'll tell Kyoutarou-sensei if there's anything going on, right?"

"I will," Emu promises, pinching his cheek.

Parad huffs, poking his partner’s nose until Emu goes cross-eyed. "Good, 'cause while I got the knowledge, I still can't make heads or tails about all of this."

"That must annoy you," the doctor teases, playfully snapping his teeth at his finger. 

"Meh, it's a puzzle and a challenge so I'm actually having fun figuring things out," he says around a laugh, dodging the attack. He turns sombre though when a thought crosses his mind. "But not at your expense— _never_ again."

Dark eyes softening, Emu throws an arm out to wrap him into a hug. "I know, and it's the same for me too, okay? If you feel the  _ slightest _ bit off, you  _ have _ to tell me."

"Will do," he promises, frowning in concern when Emu tightens his hold on him. "Emu?"

There’s something murky and aching in the bond, heightening his concern.

"I don't want to risk you," Emu confesses after a long moment, voice heavy with fear and worry. "I don't ever want to lose you again, Parad."

Warmth blooms in his chest at that and Parad turns over to return the hug, cradling his partner close. It’s a bit of an odd angle considering the different surfaces of their respective sleeping space but they make it work as they always do. 

It’s who they are after all.

"Me neither." Hoping to lighten the mood, he steers the conversation into something more nostalgic. "Speaking of side effects, how's your memories?"

Emu relaxes against him. "I've slowly been getting them back ever since we teamed-up actually."

"Seriously!?" When his partner nods with a smile, Parad lets out an excited whoop. “Aw, hell yeah!”

That means they can reminisce and fill each other in about their shared past! Sweet!

"I think I got almost all of them back by now," Emu muses aloud before his expression turns sly and looking like he just won a game. "You don't talk like you used to anymore though,  _ Paradoxum de Millennium." _

Parad blinks, pleasantly surprised in hearing his full name before letting out a chuckle when he understands the reason why Emu feels triumphant.

It may have taken years but it seems like Emu can finally pronounce his name properly. It feels nice, having the person he loves most knowing his true name.

Grinning down at his partner, Parad leans close as his fangs peak out at the corners. "That's because I'm not an A.I virus anymore,  _ little human." _

They grin at each other, before they burst out laughing.

It may be hard at times but honestly, life’s good.


	15. 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, he’s been through a lot but even Parad has to admit that being stranded in a parallel world while chasing after the bastard that stole Emu’s powers is new, even for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**14**

* * *

The bond’s been silent for two years now.

Okay...not entirely true since there’s the occasional burst of concern and fear before it’s muffled again by the distance in between two parallel worlds.

Now, he’s been through a lot but even Parad has to admit that being stranded in a parallel world while chasing after the bastard that stole Emu’s powers is new, even for him. It sucks though. When he first arrived and found out that not only that those he cares about aren’t the same people, but that the Emu in this world is  _ fucking dead  _ from the car accident because there are no Bugsters in this world. Hell, it took everything in him to keep himself relatively sane and not take his own life just to get away from the pain of it all.

It really makes him grateful for the fact that he went to therapy in the year since his revival or he’d end up with a splitted head from a freefall or something equally as unhealthy. That woulda been dicy.

Not that it isn’t dicy  _ now _ since the SkyWall messes with his powers. It doesn’t help at all since he was still recovering from getting back his Negative causing his powers to be pretty unstable and this parallel world makes it even harder for him to use them.

If it weren't for those nerfs, he’d be back home with Emu and the others by now, dammit!

_ Pa...d! ...ou hear…? ou...alright? _

As much as his situation sucks, Parad has learned to make the best of it. Like his name, while this whole being stranded in a parallel world isn’t exactly good for his still healing mentality, it’s also paradoxically cathartic too in it’s own twisted way. He and to a great extent, his happiness, have always been dependent on people in one way or another so being alone has given him the chance to be independent and learn to live for his own sake instead of someone else’s.

It’s...odd, but not in a bad way though. 

Still, as much as he has come to appreciate his new found independence because of this parallel world, it ain’t his home. So he travels between borders when the stupid wall doesn’t make him sick, trying to find clues about Build and getting back home to Emu. On those days, he familiarises himself with this new world and makes acquaintances as well as building up connections both through people and the internet to gather clues and leads. On rest days, he uses those same connections to just...well, live he supposes. He visits arcades in Touto, plays with kids in Seito and studies in Hokuto. 

But considering the state of this world? He works to help others in need most of all.

Parad’s never been a creature of patience but being alone for two years has helped him curb his more impulsive habits and tempered them into something more productive. And maybe, this whole thing has also helped him to regain the kindness he once lost.

_ Where...you? _

When he’s not searching for clues, Parad works in different things, in different places. At times, he helps teach the less fortunate kids up in Hokuto or down in Seito. In others, he’s a pianist at one of the jazz bars in Touto. Most of all, he gives medical help within Hokuto and Seito while gaining some qualifications in Touto.

At first, it’s as a paramedic and he still does that when the occasion calls for it but as time passes, Parad sees that what people need within these oppressive walls and dictating leaders of Hokuto and Seito is the will to live and not just to survive. In all the years since his creation, violent birth and sometimes broken existence, Parad has never experienced war. The Chronicle is the closest thing to that and the guilt of starting it still makes him physically ill.

But here in this world? Civil wars and being under dictatorship rule is but a norm.

Touto is the closest to the Japan he knows but even then, he can see that Prime Minister Himuro has enemies on all sides and barely has his own head above these murky waters. It hurts seeing such a good man trying to lead a country that’s hellbent in destroying itself. In some ways, the man reminds him of Kyoutarou-sensei and of the words he gave to Emu and indirectly, himself as well when they were kids.

Of smiles and the importance of healing hearts.

Parad may not have the qualification for psychiatry but he has the wealth of information as the Y2K bug and years of shared medical knowledge as Emu’s bugster and if there’s one thing he excels at, it’s solving puzzles.

So he changes his game plans, using his time to connect with others and help heal their hearts within this desolated world. He thinks that if their hearts can heal, they’d find a way to break away from their shackles and rise up on their own-- give these people and maybe himself the means to save themselves. 

_ Please...home. _

Because of that, eventually he finds out about Faust after stumbling and connecting with a number of its victims that managed to escape. It takes weeks,  _ months _ of tireless work and piecing things together but eventually, it leads him to finding rumours and articles about Build and eventually, his whereabouts.

Oh, and the Nebula Bugsters. Can’t forget about that.

It’s weird seeing a different mutation of his race but Parad has to admit, he likes the colouring. Silver’s pretty fetching after all. Their effects on people and himself to an extent is pretty annoying though but as long as they can still recognise him as their Progenitor then eventually, the Nebula Bugsters would typically stand down. 

_ Give Emu’s powers back! _

_ Parad…? _

It’s  _ just _ his luck though that the moment he finally got his hands on Build, he ends up being the wrong one.

**However, if there’s one good thing that comes out in finding a different Build--**

“Emu?” he asks with tentative hope, standing a few feet away from a much missed face.

There’s Enigma behind him while Build and his own partner stand not too far from where Parad is but truthfully, his attention is only on the faint hum of muted power but even that pales in comparison to the sight of Houjou Emu alive and safe in front of him. His eyes focus on Emu about five seconds before his partner literally _launches_ himself at him into a hug.

“Parad!”

Parad stumbles slightly but even if it’s been two years since he’d last had a hug from his partner, it’s as familiar as it’s always been. Closing his eyes, his arms wrap tightly around Emu’s waist while his partner does the same around his neck. 

“Emu.”

**\-- is that he _finally_ found a way home to his Heart.**


	16. 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Cronus forced himself into the game, the Gameworld became a wasteland of craters and stray data. It'd been in an even worse state when Emu tore it apart out of grief in hopes of finding any traces of Parad's data after he died along with Gamedeus all those years ago.
> 
> To see and feel it whole again leaves him suitably stunned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**15**

* * *

Parad sighs, content.

After the whole Mogami and Enigma shit as well as finding out that it’s only been a  _ week _ in his own world, Parad has to admit that even if his more murderous impulses have been curbed it still makes him cackle with glee that he and Emu pawn’d Mogami to blasted bits as Muteki.

He was pissed, so sue him. 

_ It’ll take awhile but... _

Turning away from the nostalgic sight of Genm and Lazer chasing each other on the rooftop while the others cheer and laugh, Parad takes in the relieving sight of the world without that damnable SkyWall. 

Welp, at least it finally got him home. He just wished that it doesn’t have to be in a world ending situation since he actually likes some of the people he’s met in Build’s world and wanted to introduce them to Emu and the others.

Like Mii-tan who he finally met in person back in Build’s hideout. 

The girl’s been a pretty solid ally of his with their combined internet connections and fun to be around too since she somewhat reminds him of Poppy and N. And well, after the initial hostility subsided, he’s also grown to like the current Build and his quirky experiments and genius mind. 

Makes him wonder if they coulda had a mathalon if circumstances had been different.

Oh, well. At least he’s home now surrounded by the people he cares about and  _ finally _ feeling the bond again after two years of near silence. There’s a sense of melancholy though, knowing that he’s changed while everyone has stayed the same. Parad can tell that it’s gonna take several sessions with his therapist to make sense of things again.

Someone takes his hand, desperate in its hold and Parad glances down to find Emu staring up at him in concern.

“Parad?” Stepping in close, Emu squeezes his hand in question. “Are you...alright?”

His eyes flit across the familiar, cherished features of his Heart and he smiles. It’s a little wistful and maybe a bit crooked but it’s the first genuine smile he’s worn in two years since his stay in the SkyWall world, so Parad thinks it’s a good restart as any.

“I am now,” he reassures, leaning down to rest his forehead against Emu’s as his partner threads their fingers together.

_ It really is good to be home. _

Piece by puzzle piece, he gets better and settles back home.

Ever since he came back, everyone has gone out of their way to make sure that Parad knows that he really  _ is _ back with them and that it's  _ staying _ that way. It took him by surprise. Now, don’t get him wrong! Parad’s grown close enough with the rest of CR to call them friends before being stranded in the other world but  _ he’s _ the one who hasn’t seen everyone in two years so for his friends to actually be this concern from a one week absence is heartening.

It unfurls that ball of anxiety of being displaced, and makes settling back home a lot easier.

So when he’s not in therapy or helping out at the Ministry, Parad spends his days spending time with Emu and their friends. 

When he’s not spending hours on game tournaments with Emu and N, he has dance lessons with Poppy and game programming sessions with Genm. In this time, he's even taken to going on bike rides with Lazer, dessert runs with Brave and afternoon walks with Snipe. And when it's not too busy, Parad joins Director Kagami for hospital rounds and has tea with Kyoutarou-sensei whenever he drops by the Ministry to help out with work.

They’re all simple, irreplaceable things that constantly remind him that he’s safe and home.

“Medical school?”

Nonetheless, there  _ are _ unavoidable changes. 

The things he’s learned in Build’s world, --about life and about himself-- Parad pieces it all into his life back home and works up a game plan for himself now that he has come to figure out what he wants in life and where he wants to go with it. And while he’s never been too dependent on others before, Parad knows he’s been static and unsure for a long time when it comes to his own life outside of the Game. 

So, he’s gonna start from there. 

“Yeah.” Lying on his back, Parad stares up at the bedroom ceiling in thought as he holds onto Emu's hand beside him. "Being around you, CR and even stranded in Build's world? It gave me back what I thought I'd lost forever."

Medical school's been something he'd thought about a couple of times over the years even when he was pissed off at everything and everyone. It is, after all, what he and Emu once thought of going through together when they were teenagers.

"What's that?" Emu asks, voice soft and curious.

"My faith in medicine." The hand in his hold twitches at that, and he turns to lie on his side with a grin at the wide-eyed look he receives from his best friend. "Thank you for that."

There's an influx of emotions from the bond --griefguiltpainawegratitudejoy-- before Emu bridges the distance between them to gather him into a tight hug.

"Parad..."

He smiles, returns the hug just as tight and snuggles into Emu's neck with a contented sigh.

"And this is really what _you_ want?" Emu questions against his forehead, fingers carding through Parad's hair. "You know that you don't owe me, CR or anyone for that matter when it comes to your life, right? I'll support you no matter what."

"I know." Chest warming at the reassurance, Parad weaves his determination and resolution within the bond. "It's what I want, Emu."

Emu relaxes against him, feeling his conviction.

"Alright." Pulling back slightly, Emu pokes his nose with a smile. "Then, know that I'm with you all the way."

Parad playfully snaps his teeth at the finger, feeling a sense of deja vu. "Thanks, Emu."

"Always, Parad," his partner promises around a laugh.

Piece by piece, life goes on.

* * *

"Where are you taking me, munchie?" Parad grouses out, following behind N as she drags him into Genm Corp. by the wrist. "I've got afternoon classes today."

It's a Wednesday morning and any plans of sleeping in before he has to go to class is thrown right outta the window because his best rival thought it's funny to drag him out of his hammock.

_ Why didja tell her where the key is again? _

_ Just because. _

_ Traitor. _

_ Love you too, Parad~! _

"I thought you can skip all of those, grem-grem?" N muses, bringing him out of the bond. "I mean, you've got all the medical knowledge already."

Parad shrugs. "I do, but they're practical classes, N. I still need those."

The fact that he only needs 2 years to finish medical school's pretty wicked all things considered. Being a bugster with a high learning curve is one hell of an advantage after all.

"Don't worry, we'll be quick," N reassures him, sliding in a key card to open a high security door before dragging him inside a large simulator room.

Before he has the chance to ask any questions, N pulls out the Master Gashat and inserts it through a game slot. Immediately, a flurry of pixels flood the room and they're brought into the main entrance of the Gameworld.

Letting go of his wrist, N skips to the centre of the dome and throws her arms out with a proud grin. "Ta-da~!"

"This is..."

After Cronus forced himself into the game, the Gameworld became a wasteland of craters and stray data. It'd been in an even worse state when Emu tore it apart out of grief in hopes of finding any traces of Parad's data after he died along with Gamedeus all those years ago.

To see and feel it whole again leaves him suitably stunned.

"The Enigma thing had horrible timing," N pipes up and he blinks back to focus. "I was planning on showing you and Poppy this before that headache happened."

His brows furrow at that. "Poppy?"

So far, Poppy hadn't brought anything up about their homeworld since he came home.

"We were worried when you disappeared so I told her about this project since there might've been a chance that you'd end up here. None of us expected that you'd be in a parallel world though," N explains as she walks back to him.

Parad glances around at the surrounding tunnels that would lead to each game platform of his kin. "And...they're all here?"

"Yes," a deep familiar voice rumbles behind him and Parad swivels in place to find a smirking Graphite. "We're  _ all _ here."

Grin threatening to split his face, Parad bounds up to hug the dragon-warrior. "Graphite!"

"Hello, sworn-brother." Returning the hug, Graphite then pulls back to grip his shoulders with a warm smile. "It's good to see you again."

"Back at ya, sworn-brother." Bouncing on the soles of his feet, Parad feels his grin impossibly widens when he spots the rest of his kin surrounding them. "Look's like the gang's finally back together again."

"Yup!" A giggle fills the air before Poppy appears behind Graphite with a grin and subsequently reels him and Graphite into a group hug. "It's a pipopapo party!"

Parad chuckles, giving Poppy a fond kiss on the forehead and smirks at the sight of a blushing Graphite when Poppy cuddles close to him.

"Rejoice!" a voice shouts out, the only warning he gets before someone body slams them to join in the hug.

"Ack!" Glancing above Poppy's head, he laughs in seeing a familiar white suited bugster. "Lovelica!"

N whoops somewhere behind him before launching herself to them with a war cry. "Dog pile!"

"Nico-chan!" Poppy yelps around a giggle, falling down to the ground as the rest of the bugsters join in.

_ I've called in sick for you. _

_ You planned this? _

_ Even bugsters need rest and you've been running on fumes for weeks. You need a break. _

As much as Parad wants to deny it, he knows it's true. While he  _ is _ readjusting back home relatively well all things considered, Parad can't deny that he's been pushing himself to either process the two years he's been through or set up the life he wants. Most of the time though, it's just him doing his best to make sense of things and maybe getting a little too impatient because of that.

Parad should've known that he can't hide anything from his Heart.

_ I love you. _

_ I know you do. _

"Nico." Parad blows a stray curl away from his face underneath the pile, grinning all the while. "Mind filling me in here?"

A head pops up above him as N grins like she pulled off a badass combo. "Long story, short: the Bugsters are gonna be on standby or well, probation like you were. And until we can find a way to make sure they can live with everyone without  _ endangering _ anyone, they'll be here in the Gameworld."

He hums in thought as everyone slides down from the pile, allowing him to sit up with a stretch.

"We've also agreed to help undo the damage we've done back in the Chronicle," Salty chimes in. "We'll be keeping everyone's data safe until the time is right."

His brows almost hit his hairline at that. "Willingly?"

"If you, who had been wronged so gruesomely by humans in the past, are willing to give them a chance then as your kin, we shall do the same," Graphite intones, steady and determined.

"Graphite..." Touched, he then looks at each of his kin in curiosity. "All of you too?"

"Indeed. After all, all we've ever wanted is to be given the chance to live just like any other creature without prejudice," Lovelica says with a wistful smile. "Now while the humans still treat us with caution, they've shown to be willing in being fair to us."

Burgermon lets out a cheer from beside Alhambra. "And we get to play with everyone too!"

They laugh at the excitable bugster.

"However," Graphite interjects, frowning worriedly at him and Poppy. "There will be a great deal of pressure on both you and Poppy."

Parad nods, unsurprised. "We're the examples. Especially me since I'm the Progenitor."

"Apologies, comrade," Alhambra mumbles with a bow of his head.

"Don't worry about it," he reassures with a wave of his hand. "I've been a shitty leader to all of you for so long anyway. Let me do this much."

He gets a pinch to his side for his trouble, pouting at the stern glare Poppy sends him.

Right, right. No self-deprecating comments.

"Well since I  _ am _ the Boss Lady, I'll work together with Tsukuru-san to make sure they'll stay safe," N declares, draping herself on his back. "Genm Corp. comes in handy for these kinds of things after all."

There's a lump in his throat at that, and Parad has to duck his head to hide the tears that threaten to stream down his face. Crap. He didn't realise how much he misses his kin until they're all here right in front of him, and to know that one of his human friends is not only willing but actually wants to help keep his kind safe is pretty overwhelming.

The message is clear:

He's not alone and never will be again.

Once he's sure he won't sob his heart out in front of everyone, Parad reaches back to press a grateful kiss to the side of Nico's head. "You're the best, munchie."

"I know, grem-grem." Arms tighten around him in answer, warm and affectionate. "I know."

Yeah, he's definitely gonna be okay.


	17. 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like all things in life, when one hurdle is outta the way, another one comes along right on its heels.
> 
> "Welcome," a doctor greets them with a thin smile on red painted lips. "My name is Yaotome Saiko. It's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous members of CR."
> 
> \-- or in this case, in high heel stilettos with a dna that he'd recognise anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**16**

* * *

Things become pretty busy in the two years after the Enigma incident. Mostly, it has to do with their tireless efforts in undoing the damage caused by those involved with Chronicle and more importantly, to bring back the Vanished.

It's not easy obviously but it's far from impossible like they all assumed after Cronus offed himself back then. Partly it's because Genm's willingly cooperating with CR and the Ministry to bring the people back. However, that cooperation shouldn't be mistaken as Genm suddenly caring about people or a desire to repent, and as much as he wishes that's the case, the list of people Genm genuinely cares about is but a limited few.

Namely, Dan Sakurako.

It was Poppy's idea, really. After bringing up the fact that Genm only helped create and started the Chronicle because he wants to bring back his (their?) mother, the younger bugster decided to strike a deal with Genm which basically boils down to this:

If Genm helps them bring back the Vanished then, Dan Sakurako will the first one to come back before all else.

It didn't take long for Genm to agree which surprises many even now. Understandably, there are those who are just waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It won't though.

Now don't get him wrong, he's well aware how manipulative Genm is and knows that it's highly possible he's just bidding his time. But he's known the bastard for almost a decade now so Parad's pretty confident that it's not the case. Not this time. Because if there's one guarantee about Genm is that he loves his mother very much and would never dare risk her safety no matter what, schemes and grandiose vision of divine genius be damned.

And Poppy knows that better than anyone so she made sure to be honest.

Thing is, one shouldn't think about manipulating the manipulator. It's a pain and it'll just make things worse and knowing that, Poppy made the right choice by being honest with Genm and with it, secured the deal in ensuring that Genm won't turn his back on them down the line somewhere.

So, they make progress.

With Genm's cooperation, comes the reconstruction of the Master Gashat and by using his reviving Negative, they have a more set out plan to ensure their success. But like all things in life, when one hurdle is outta the way, another one comes along right on its heels.

"Welcome," a doctor greets them with a thin smile on red painted lips. "My name is Yaotome Saiko. It's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous members of CR."

\-- or in this case, in high heel stilettos with a dna that he'd recognise anywhere.

Parad isn't sure whether it's the killing intent he can literally taste in the air the moment Yaotome spots him by Emu's side or his powers that tipped him off but seeing anyone sharing dna with Zaizen almost triggered him back into the time where his faith in medicine had been shaken and subsequently broken to pieces.

Beside him, he can feel Emu freezing in place and Parad knows that his partner has become aware of _who_ exactly that's sitting across from them with a poison tipped smile on her face.

Underneath the table, he takes Emu's hand. _*'It's okay. Let me talk to her later.'*_

 _*'...Alright. But promise to tell me if you need help.'*_ While the polite smile on his face doesn't falter, Emu's eyes have gone viciously cold. _*'I'd rather not leave you alone with someone who looks like she wants to continue where Zaizen left off.'*_

He squeezes Emu's hand in reassurance and gratitude. _*'Promise.'*_

They don't let go of each other's hand throughout the whole meeting.

As discussion continues on, it becomes more obvious that Yaotome has an agenda with little to no care of the true purpose of this collaboration. Recognising the manipulative streak not unlike that of Genm's, he quickly exchanges a look with Emu before he takes a page from Poppy's book and whisks the unsuspecting geneticists to a familiar rundown laboratory once the meeting with CR is over.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yaotome demands as she glares at him from a safe distance away.

With a shrug, Parad hoists himself onto a gurney.

"You're Zaizen's daughter, aren't you?" he states more than asks, cutting straight to the point. "And you're only helping CR because you hate me and want me gone."

When it looks like Yaotome would deny the claim, Parad shoots a deadpanned if stern look at the woman.

Holding onto her glare a bit longer, Yaotome then lets out a huff and flips her hair over her shoulder. "What gave me away?"

"Your killing intent was all over the place the moment you saw me," he points out, amused despite himself.

"You seem quite calm about that." Crossing her arms, Yaotome scowls at him. "Do you think I'm harmless because I'm a human?"

"Lady, I know damn well how strong humans are," he drawls out with a snort, before his mouth quirks up into a proud grin. "After all, the strongest person I know is human."

The bond pulses with embarrassed warmth and loving affection, causing his grin to widen just so.

"So why are we here?" Yaotome demands, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Immediately sobering, he jumps off the gurney and bows low to the geneticist. "I want to apologise for taking away your father."

"You--"

"I'm not seeking forgiveness but you deserve an apology all the same," he explains and Yaotome falls silent. "The only defense I can give you is that Zaizen was hurting me and Emu so I lashed out to stop the pain."

For a long while, the only sound in this desolated lab is their breathing before it's broken by the sharp clicks of black stilettos as Yaotome cautiously makes her way towards him until she's standing in front of him.

"Do you think I'd believe that?" Yaotome asks, voice nothing but a trembling whisper.

"Believe me or not, that's your choice. But it's the truth all the same." Biting his lip, he tentatively offers to the grieving woman. "You can go through New Genomes video logs if you want but I advise you to watch it with the detectives in charge of the case."

A hand yanks his head up by the curls until he's eye to eye with Yaotome.

"...why?" Yaotome all but demands, tears evident in her eyes even with the glasses on her face.

His eyes soften. Even if he despises Zaizen and doesn't regret his actions against the mad doctor, doesn't mean said madman isn't loved by someone else.

"The videos are pretty graphic with the violence and gore, I guess," he explains. "I wasn't entirely lucid throughout the experiments."

Slowly, the geneticist lets him go and Parad straightens up from his bow.

"Look, you're free to hate me all you want. All I ask is for you to please not to take it out on CR or our progress in bringing back the Vanished," he implores, eyes beseeching.

Brows furrowing, Yaotome regards him with a skeptic eye. "You actually care?"

"Yeah, it took me by surprise too," he admits with a wry chuckle. "Honestly, I thought I lost any ounce of kindness or empathy years ago yet here I am."

With a huff, Yaotome glances away. "Hard to believe."

"I know, right?" Parad grouses and he can see a flicker of amusement on Yaotome's face before it disappears under a blank mask. "I'd offer you to be my judge, jury and executioner but only Emu has the right to that."

"Unfortunately, Houjou-sensei wouldn't do that."

"Goes to show that you don't know Emu at all," Parad comments with a smirk.

An elegant arch of a brow. "Against his pet bugster?"

 _*’MY_ **_WHAT!?_ ** _’*_

Curses and expletives that would've made even the most foul-mouthed of sailors blush practically explode from the bond, causing a laugh to burst out of him before he can stop himself.

"Sorry, sorry," he gasps out, waving a hand to assuage the indignation on Yaotome's face while trying to control his giggles. "It's just, I haven't heard Emu curse this bad since we were in high school. You really pissed him off with that 'pet' comment."

Some of the tension bleeds out of elegant shoulders even as Yaotome's face pinches in discomfort. "He's...listening?"

"He was getting worried so, yeah." Wiping away the tears from his eyes, Parad gives Yaotome a cheeky grin. "Emu's gotten pretty protective of me over the years."

Yaotome leans against the pillar behind her, frowning in puzzlement. "And still you'd say that?"

"It's the truth." Parad taps at where his heart is with a finger. "My last breath only belongs to Emu just as Emu's only belongs to me."

Now Yaotome simply looks lost. "That's..."

"I know." Parad shrugs, unconcerned because he knows it's not a concept people can wrap their heads around. "But it's just who we are, that's all."

A sigh, weary and affronted in equal measures as Yaotome pinches the bridge of her nose. "So where does that leave me?"

"Dunno, I can't exactly change your mind about me," he admits with a shrug, feeling at a loss himself.

For some strange reason, his answer seems to amuse the geneticist as she lets out a reluctant chuckle. "Not necessarily."

"...Eh?"

"I'm not stupid, Bugster. As much as I hate you, I'm not blinded by the fact that you could've killed me the moment you teleported us and yet, you didn't," Yaotome elaborates, giving him a tight lipped smile. "For now, I'll give you the benefit of a doubt. Deal?"

Cautiously, he pokes the bond in question in hopes to understand what's happening because he's thrown outta the loop here.

_*'Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Hell, I thought I'd need to fight her or something just to get her to stand down from whatever her agenda is.'*_

Emu's is silent for a moment before his partner lets out a sigh. _*'We'll take her word for now. But I'm calling in Tomari-keiji since out of all the detectives involved with the New Genome investigation, he's the one I trust the most.'*_

 _*'Worrywart,'*_ he teases.

_*'I'm not taking any chances. I've had enough of losing you, Parad.'*_

He smiles. _*'Thanks, Emu.'*_

A cradle of love and affection wrap around him in answer before the bond falls quiet again.

Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Parad then dips his head into a nod. "Deal."

After that tense yet oddly civil first meeting, they part ways.

Since then, Parad doesn't get to see Yaotome until several weeks later when the geneticist personally requested to meet him alone in CR. It took a bit of convincing for Emu, Poppy and Genm to let him go but since he's meeting Yaotome in their territory, Parad isn't all too worried. That, and many things that used to be able to nerf him before don't work anymore because of his time in Build's old world as well as regaining his Negative so he's far from helpless.

Still, wanting to have a clear head for whatever conversation he's about to have with Zaizen's daughter, Parad decides to take the long way around and uses the elevator instead of teleporting directly into CR.

All too soon, the elevator pings and after taking a fortifying breath, Parad steps out and finds Yaotome waiting by the table.

He blinks, surprised in what state he finds the geneticist though.

The once elegant woman looks like she went through hell and back, pale with bangs under her haunted eyes. It's oddly familiar, recalling similar expressions on despondent civilians in either Hokuto or Seito back on Build's old world. It's a look of hopelessness and disappointment, and before he can think better of it, Parad kneels beside the troubled woman.

Slowly as to not alarm her, Parad carefully places a hand on a white-knuckled fist and waits patiently as Yaotome comes back to herself, unbothered when the doctor almost gives herself whiplash when she snaps her head to him in alarm.

"You wanted to see me?" Parad asks gently, carefully unfurling the tight fist so as to avoid sharp nails from breaking skin.

Yaotome stares blankly at him for a long moment before a sob breaks past her lips as tears stream in rivets down her face.

"I'm sorry," Yaotome gasps out, shaking her head and he can feel the heavy shame even without using his powers. "My father and New Genome...! To you and Houjou-sensei, _they...!"_

The rest of her words are lost as Yaotome buries her face into her hands, bowing so low to him in a desperate apology that she slides off her seat. Alarmed, he catches the despairing woman before she hits the floor and carefully supports her.

Whatever misgivings he has against Yaotome disappear as Parad rubs soft circles on the woman's back.

He heard from Drive that after Yaotome saw the censored version of the videos New Genome left behind, she left the station in a daze once she calmed down enough after lashing out in denial and anger. It'd been worrying enough that officers were sent as bodyguards in case Yaotome would be a danger-- either to herself or to others. Thankfully, they didn't need to worry in the end since Yaotome spent most of her days holed up in her house to process what she found out about the father she so admired.

"C'mon," Parad coaxes softly, hands on small shoulders as he guides Yaotome to her feet and towards the couch. "The floor isn't exactly a comfortable place to sit. Especially with those stilettos of yours."

That earns him a choked giggle as Yaotome walks on shaky legs. "They're Gucci, I'll have you know."

"Classy," he compliments around a grin.

Quickly whipping up a mug of tea, Parad carefully hands it over to Yaotome who accepts it gratefully with a small smile.

"Thank you, for what you said." Parad swallows the lump in his throat, taking a seat beside the geneticist at a respectable distance. "And I'm sorry too, for the pain I inadvertently caused you and your mother. Zaizen's still your family after all."

Dark eyes soften as Yaotome ducks her head, expression overwhelmed. "Thank you."

They sit in silence, lost in their own thoughts.

"Where do we go from here?" Parad asks, voice soft as he hands over a box of tissues to Yaotome.

"Where else?" Wiping away her tears, Yaotome takes a shaky breath and turns to him with a determined frown. "Let's start by bringing back all those who are lost."

Unlike when they first met, Parad can tell that Yaotome's sincere in her desire to help bring back the Vanished this time. Which makes reaching out to offer his hand to Yaotome a lot more easier than he thought.

"Sounds like a plan," he singsongs with a grin. "Yoroshiku, Yaotome-sensei."

The smile Yaotome gives him is tentative and hopeful as she grasps his hand in a firm grip. "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, Parad-kun."

They have a long road ahead of them still, but it's a start.


	18. 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first and definite sign that Parad got his Negative back completely is when his Gamer Driver literally imploded on itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**17**

* * *

The first and definite sign that Parad got his Negative back completely is when his Gamer Driver literally imploded on itself.

It's nothing outta ordinary, really, just the usual run in the mill villain and team up with some fellow Riders. However, the moment he tries to join in the fight with everyone else in his Rider form, his driver goes suspiciously silent and unresponsive.

"The heck?" Clicking the lever closed, Parad tries again only to get the same result. "What the hell's going on?"

Emu jumps over to him, already as Ex-Aid and even with the mask, he can tell his partner is as confused as he is. "What's wrong? Is it broken?"

In the distance, he can hear Kuroto screech in indignation. "No divine creation of mine would ever be so faulty!"

"Focus, Prez!" Lazer admonishes, shooting a monster while simultaneously smacking the maniac upside the head.

"...how can he even hear us?" Emu wonders aloud, mystified.

"The zombie's always been like that when it comes to his tech," Parad says with a sigh while poking at the driver. "But seriously though--"

Sparks suddenly start to fly from the driver, and immediately he pushes Emu away from him.

"Get down!"

Before he can tear the driver out, a powerful surge not unlike what he felt back in Y2K implodes out from the machine before he's immediately flung backwards through several buildings in quick succession.

"Parad!"

Groaning, he coughs and waves the dust away from his face or well...tries to at least since one of his hands is stuck from being impaled through a metal bar.

Great.

With a click of his tongue, Parad yanks his hand out and stumbles down to the ground with a grunt. Checking himself over, Parad's relieved to note that he's relatively unharmed bar some cuts and bruises as well as the bleeding hole on his hand....which is closing at a rapid rate.

He blinks. "Odd. Usually it takes a few minutes for it to heal that fast."

"Parad!"

Turning away from his hand, he spots Emu jumping down from the rubble and speeding towards him. The bond is flooded with fear and worry as Emu slides down and kneels beside him.

"Are you okay?" Shaking his head, Emu checks him over. "Stupid question. Sorry, where are you hurt?"

Parad grabs onto Emu's hands to stop him from fretting and smiles reassuringly at his friend. "I'm alright. Look, all healed!"

Quickly examining his person, tension gradually bleeds out of Emu's shoulders before he tilts his head curiously to the side. "That was fast."

"I know, right?" Curling his hand into a fist, Parad gives his partner a bloodthirsty grin. "And I think I know why."

Because if that familiar surge is anything to go by then, the fun is finally about to have one hell of a restart.

A shadow looms over them and Parad looks up to find a giant monster...thing sneering down at them.

"...did one of the Sentai lost their monsters or something?" he comments with a frown.

Emu cradles his chin in thought. "I think it was vaguely mentioned."

"Well, at least we can honestly say it's not our fault this time." When a claw swoops down to skewer them, Parad snaps his fingers and watches in gleeful satisfaction as PAUSE clicks into place. "Now, now. Just because I can't be in my Rider form right now, doesn't mean I'm helpless."

Dusting himself off, Emu climbs to his feet and crosses his arms in what Parad likes to dub as his 'paediatrician in lecture mode' stance. "Not to mention that it's rude to interrupt people mid-conversation."

"That's why..." he releases PAUSE and cocks his arm back, curling his hand into a fist.

Emu follows suit, the eyes on his helmet briefly flashing a bright gold. "You've earned yourself a time-out."

A thrust of a double strike and they send the monster flying.

Later, when they're cleaning up the damage the wide scale battle had caused, Parad flicks his wrist to test out the extent of the power he regained. Slowly yet surely, broken roads and buildings piece back together as time rewinds itself for them until everything is back to the way it was as if there were never any attacks at all.

"Thank goodness," Emu mumbles beside him, already back in his civvies. "You've completely regained your Negative."

"Yeah." Sighing with a smile, he then bends down to pick up the destroyed driver. "I'd try to rewind this but it won't do me any good considering I can't use it anymore."

Loud cackling fills the air and they turn to find Kuroto standing proudly on top of a car with his arms crossed.

"Foolishness!" Kuroto smirks down at him. "Do not underestimate my divine genius, Parad!"

He deadpans. "You do remember what happened to your laptop back in 2000, right?"

"Which was 20 years ago!" Sliding down the car, Kuroto walks over to him and snatches up the driver. "We've since made progress and thus, this will be the start of one of my best creations yet! Bwuahahaha-- ack!"

Lazer sighs and gets to his feet after tackling Kuroto to the ground before grabbing the back of the zombie’s jacket to drag him back to Seito.

"Divine genius or not, you've got to stop embarrassing us like this."

"... _You_ think it's cute though."

"Not the point, Prez."

He sweatdrops at the familiar scene. "And I'm supposed to be related to that zombie?"

"We can't choose who we're related to," Emu intones with dark humour that the paediatrician only lets out around him. "At least Kuroto-san is better than Cronus...well, sort of."

"That's the sad part." Sighing, he then turns a critical eye to his partner. "And how are you feeling? Any side effects?"

Emu frowns, closing his eyes in concentration. "I do feel a bit out of sorts. Like I can't exactly align myself."

"Same here." Hands on his hips, Parad gives a decisive nod. "Got no choice then."

Emu nods in return. "True."

They then turn to each other, finger guns pointed out with a wry grin. "Quarantine."

Yup, just a typical day in his life. Although, at least now he gets to spend it as a completely whole person again.

Finally.


	19. 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They wait with bated breath as Dan Sakurako solidifies in front of their eyes, shaken to a stupor as the woman gasps out a breath-- safe and alive and human once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**18**

* * *

"Knock, knock," Parad singsongs, leaning against the door to the radiology office and catching the attention of his fellow genius gamer. "Got a minute, munchie?"

"For you, grem-grem?" Pushing herself away from her desk, Nico bounds up to him with a grin. "I've got five."

Returning the grin, they make their way out to the corridors. When they pass by Snipe's office, he raises a hand in greeting to which the other Rider returns with a small smile before returning his attention back to his computer.

It's nice, having everyone working in the same hospital.

Ever since the Bugsters were given a chance and worked together with the Ministry, any traces of the game disease were swiftly eradicated. Because of that, things started to gradually return back to the way things were before Zero Day happened and it wasn't long until Seito Hospital regained Snipe and Lazer as a part of its staff along with some other additions too.

"Damn." Plopping down onto the bench beside the vending machine, Parad takes a sip of his strawberry fanta. "I still can't believe you're a radiography student now."

"Says the psychiatry intern," Nico quips back beside him, blueberry soda in hand. "Besides, do you think I'd ever turn down the chance to boss Taiga around?"

Parad laughs at that. "Point taken."

"So, what's up? We still on for game night?" Nico asks, sipping her drink.

"You bet we are," he reassures, smile taking on an excited edge. "Only, Emu and I thought we could have it in the Gameworld instead for tonight."

"Sweet! Been awhile since we visited the others." The excitement on Nico's face steadily turns into confusion, eyeing him in suspicion. "But what's the occasion?"

"We just got back from the Ministry and have some really good news to share with everyone," Parad explains, smile widening into a grin when he recalls the meeting with the Ministry just this morning. "Thought you might wanna be there first since you're the reason why the rest of the Bugsters are kept safe for so long."

"That could only happen because of all the work you and Poppy have put into over the years, grem-grem," Nico counters back with a wave of her hand, pointing at him with a frown. "In fact, you've been under the Ministry's microscope all these years to make sure we even have any progress at all."

Which, true, but it hadn't been a bad experience. Especially not with everyone being there for him and making sure that no one forgets that he's a person first before anything else. Kyoutarou-sensei had even personally made it abundantly clear that anything regarding examinations on Parad would either be conducted by the man himself or if not, would be overseen by him. The man had been pretty terrifying at the time, rendering the rest of the Ministry into a cowering pile of bodies to make his point.

"As long as I can show them that my race isn't a danger to society and have every right to live just like any other living creature then, so be it," Parad says with a shrug. "It's the least I can do for them after being such a mediocre Progenitor for so long."

Nico lets out a scoff, kicking his shin with a glare. "Are you kidding me? You've been great all these years, Parad. Don't sell yourself short or I'll kick your ass in Call of Duty."

"I'd like to see you try, Nico," he mocks back, pinching the girl's cheek in retaliation before he pauses when a thought crosses his mind. "Oh, yeah. Graphite demands a duel later by the way."

An unholy glint of excitement shines in Nico's eyes as she grins. "And a duel he shall receive."

Parad laughs as he lets go, content to spend the rest of his break with his friend.

Later in the evening after work, Parad breaks the good news he's been waiting years for to his kin, rendering them into stunned silence.

"We get to live in the real world?" Graphite asks in quiet wonder, the first to shake out of his daze. "Our probation is over?"

"Yup!" Parad confirms with a nod, grinning like a fool and not caring one bit. "We've finally found a way for us to live without being a danger to others."

Immediately, the rest of his kind break out into excited shouts and chatter. Chuckling fondly, he shares a look with Emu, practically overflowing with joy that Parad has to blink back the tears that threaten to burst out of him.

Seeing that, Emu takes his hand and gives him a tender smile which he gratefully returns.

"Ah." Salty suddenly turns to them in concern. "What's the catch?"

"Only to help bring back the Vanished," Emu is quick to reassure. "Especially since their data are kept within your gashats and we need your help for the trial run this Friday."

"Consider it done," Alhambra promises, before glancing up at the steady stream of data dancing within the skies of the Gameworld. "It was wrong of us to keep them here for so long."

Nico huffs, hand on her hips. "Hey, things haven't been  _ all _ bad."

"That's right!" Poppy dances around them, hands to the skies with a proud grin as she twirls in place. "We've connected with everyone here and have come to understand one another along the way too!"

Tipping his head back, Parad stares up at the stream of data with no small amount of remorse and gratitude.

"Yeah," he agrees with a small smile. "We really have."

When the Bugsters agreed to help in bringing back the Vanished, they quickly realised the weight of their mistakes when the people within the data expressed their fear, anger and overall pain for the harm done to them. It humbled them. Most of all, it helped them realise that their desire to live does not justify them hurting others. It took them; both humans and bugsters, a lot of trial and error over the years to reach an understanding. While most prefer to stay in their data stream forms, there are humans that would stay corporal within the Gameworld and grew close to his kin. Best part of it all? Both races eventually came to learn from each other and reached a proper understanding that helped them convince the Ministry of coexistence.

"Hey!" A young man; Tateyama, shouts out from the open field while surrounded by other humans and bugsters alike. "Aren't we having a game night or what?"

Charlie shouts back with a fist in the air. "Get ready to get pawn'd, Yama-chan!"

"Empty threats, Charlie! Empty threats!"

Rolling his eyes at Emu, they share an exasperated grin in seeing the familiar bickering with everyone around.

Considering that mental health and brain stimuli is proven to help the Vanished reconstruct their bodies is a pleasant surprise, so finding the humans willingly participating in games with his fellow bugsters is one hell of a plus.

"Who's data shall be brought back first?" Lovelica asks, brandishing a rose out of thin air to point it up at the skies.

Parad smiles at the familiar quirk before looking back up at the datastream. "Dan Sakurako."

"Then may good fortune smile upon us all!"

* * *

The week passes by too quickly and before Parad knows it, he's standing beside a nervous Kuroto as the other Rider wrings his hands. Before the programmer can dissolve into anxious pixels or readjust his 'kami' headband for the billionth time, Parad uses his cords to drag Kuroto into a chair.

"Genm," he begins, a hand on Kuroto's shoulder to keep the zombie in place. "It's gonna be okay."

"We've checked everything over more times than we can count," Poppy chimes in on Kuroto's other side, taking a hand into her own in a reassuring grip. "You've explained all that Sakurako-san needs to know and you've even personally seen to it yourself that we've done all that's necessary."

Kuroto shakes his head, a foot bouncing on the floor in agitation. "I know that and my divine talents should be enough, but..."

When the former CEO trails off, Nico jumps in to hand over one of her giant lollipops. "But nothing. We've got this, Genm."

"And even if you still don't trust the medical world after all these years from seeing us work," Lazer suddenly pipes up, rolling his chair to park in front of Kuroto's and taps a fist against the programmer's chest with a wry grin. "At least trust that we'll keep our word to bring Sakurako-san back to you no matter what."

Snipe makes a sound of agreement. "We've come this far."

"For this, we say 'no, thank you' to failure," Brave comments as he stands beside Snipe.

Emu steps forward with a smile that's a mix of both his gamer and doctor personas, confident and determined. "We're going to clear this, Kuroto-san."

Clearly floored, Kuroto looks at each of them before ducks his head with a sigh.

"Hope is a dangerous thing," Kuroto mutters with a rueful smile, a little saner than he's been in ages.

"It is."

Parad gives the shoulder under his hand a reassuring pat before stalking forward to stand in front of the bio-bed within CR. His eyes slide to the side, spotting Kyoutarou-sensei, Kagami-inchou, Tsukuru and Yaotome by the controls on standby and ready to jump in at a moment's notice. Taking a deep breath, Parad materialises the Master Gashat, feeling the comforting presence of his kin within the gashat as the promised support, and slides it into place within the slotted panel in front of him.

Sparks of power dance across his fingers, readying the gashat before he nods at Poppy over his shoulder.

"Phase one, clear."

Returning his nod, Poppy materialises her own gashat of DoReMiFa Beat and slides it within the other remaining slot. It gives a reassuring hum, causing Poppy to let out a relieved sigh.

"Phase two, pipopapo clear!"

Trading a glance, he and Poppy turn to offer their hands to Kuroto with a smile.

"C'mon, Kuroto!"

Pixels glitch at the edges of Kuroto's form before he steadies himself again by taking a deep breath. With a resolute nod, Kuroto walks over to them and takes their hands.

"Final..." Letting go of them, Kuroto turns the panel on with a maniacal laugh. "Phase!"

The room lights up, pixels flooding the walls and the floor in a datastorm. Transfixed, they stare in awed silence as slowly but surely the flurry of pixels stream down onto the bed to carefully form a beautiful figure he's only met a handful of times within the confines of the Gameworld.

They wait with bated breath as Dan Sakurako solidifies in front of their eyes, shaken to a stupor as the woman gasps out a breath-- safe and alive and human once more.

Slowly rising from the bed, Sakurako looks at her hands in wonderment before her gaze zeroes in on her son. A wide, loving smile stretches across her features and really, as wrong as it is, it's not hard to see why Kuroto would go to crazy, immoral lengths to bring his mother back.

"Kuroto," the mother whispers, hand reaching out for her son.

It's the first time anyone's ever seen the prideful, self proclaimed deity stumbling over and sinking down to his knees beside his mother. But for once, no one makes a quip about it, content to watch as mother and son finally reunite in the real world of flesh, blood and bone.

"Kaa-san," Kuroto sobs out, clutching onto his mother for dear life. "Kaa-san...!"

Knees giving out from sheer relief, Parad leans back into Emu as those comforting arms catch him before he can hit the ground. They slide carefully onto the floor, arms around each other as they choke on their laughter.

"It worked," Emu rasps out, face tucked into his neck. "We're almost there, Parad."

He can do nothing but nod against Emu's head, tightening his hold on his precious human.

Around them, everyone else is in a similar state of awe and relief, clutching onto each other whilst the older doctors carefully check Sakurako over to ensure that she's safe and healthy.

Yeah, hope is a dangerous thing.

"Final phase," Parad reiterates, tears streaming down his face as his lips pull back into an elated grin. "Clear."

But it's worth it.


	20. 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's like a Christmas miracle, watching as the people who once succumbed to Game Disease reunite with their loved ones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**19**

* * *

It's like a Christmas miracle, watching as the people who once succumbed to Game Disease reunite with their loved ones.

Considering the sheer volume of people, they chose to bring everyone back in an auditorium within the Ministry. Which was a wise choice because in almost every corner, friends and family are knocking themselves over in wet-eyed, exuberant, loud reunions with their newly returned loved ones. People of all ages are reduced to tears as they hold onto each other, trying to catch each other up on all the years they've missed face to face instead of behind a screen.

Content, he sits beside Emu at the back of the auditorium and smiles in seeing all of their hard work; all of the blood, sweat and tears, finally paying off.

After Dan Sakurako's return and confirming that the procedure is 100% safe, they immediately brought back Momose Saki, Maki Jirou and Aihara Jungo (long story on that one). That reunion had been particularly explosive and tearful considering the nature of what happened but after Momose Saki gave Kuroto his well deserved punch to the face and kick to the balls (ouch), they; both humans and bugsters alike, all work together to conduct the wide scale reform as to bring back all of the Vanished.

Which, they thankfully succeed.

Humans and bugsters mingle about, talking and interacting with one another. There's a certain presence of wariness amongst some of the humans related to the Vanished but seeing the clear absence of fear and anger in their loved ones against his kind and in turn, finding camaraderie and acceptance instead, it eventually eases any misgivings to be replaced with tentative curiosity.

It's certainly shaping up to be one of the best Christmas they're all gonna have, that's for sure.

"We did it," Emu murmurs happily beside him, head leaning against Parad's shoulder.

With a hum, he rests his cheek on top of Emu's head. "We did."

Hospital and Ministry officials alike herd the crowd to check everyone over, ensuring that the people are truly safe and healthy.

Both humans and bugsters are alive and coexisting.

Most of all, there's a smile on everyone's faces; genuine and sincere-- right from the heart.

They've really done it.

Emu offers up his hand, a grin unseen but obvious in his voice. "Game."

"Clear," he finishes, slapping their palms together with a grin.

Life is full of chances and miracles, and somehow, they've created their own.


	21. 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his doctor’s coat billowing around him from the afternoon breeze, Parad thinks that for this moment as he stands together with the person he loves most; now blessed with friends and family and life itself, he knows what it means to be on top of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you like, come scream at me on [Tumblr](https://writing-in-sin.tumblr.com) or [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Writing_in_SIN)

* * *

**20**

* * *

The hospital rooftop has always been a favourite spot of his.

It’s a good spot to think and reminisce. A place where his mercurial mind can slow down a bit to just relax and watch as the people go on about in their lives down below. 

Closing his eyes, Parad takes in the breeze and revels at the indisputable fact that not only he's alive but he's  _ happy _ to be alive too.

He has friends and family within both his bugster kin and humanity. There's finally peace and coexistence between the two races. Genm Corp. is once again the top gaming company in Japan and now lead by one Dan Sakurako with Tsukuru as her trusted and reliable vice-president. He has a career as a psychiatrist that he's proud of and thrives in. And most of all—

“You really do look  _ dashing _ in white, Houjou-sensei,” that familiar voice with that familiar heartbeat quips up behind him.   


Turning his head to the side, Parad grins at his partner as Emu walks up to stand beside him. “Back at ya, Houjou-sensei.”

Chuckling softly, Emu turns his attention to the city underneath them with a content sigh.

“It took more than a decade but  _ both _ of us are finally doctors now,” Emu murmurs, his smile turning a touch wry.

He snorts at that. “Yup, and it’s been a hell of a journey too.”

Typically of him to solve a simple puzzle in the most complicated way possible.

“And the best part?” Emu looks up to give him a bright grin, hugging him by the waist. “It’s far from over.”

Laughing, he wraps an arm around Emu’s shoulders in return. “Very true.”

With his doctor’s coat billowing around him from the afternoon breeze, Parad thinks that for this moment as he stands together with the person he loves most; now blessed with friends and family and life itself, he knows what it means to be on top of the world.

Their pages go off, breaking the comfortable silence and sharing a glance, they knock their fists together with mirroring grins on their faces.

Emu leans close, foreheads touching. “Let’s clear them all—” 

“— with no continues,” Parad finishes, fists unfurling and fingers intertwining. 

The life he’s living is both a great privilege and a humbling responsibility. His journey is far from over and there’s no doubt there’ll be more complications and hurdles he’ll have to go through but he won’t run. He’s gonna live his life to the fullest with no regrets.

And he’ll start off—

“Game start,” they whisper, disappearing in a flurry of pixels. 

— by bringing back smiles, making hearts dance, and saving lives.

**The Game is Forever.**


End file.
